Expect the Unexpected
by ElenaxoxoSilber
Summary: Alexa Pennington always loved her simple life back in California. But when she moved to the haunted town of Savannah, Georgia, she learns about new things that she never thought were possible.  DANNY x OC
1. Fresh Start

**Hello readers :] Welcome to my story, Expect The Unexpected. Hope you enjoy and please review! I love feedback. **

_Chapter One:_

_Fresh Start_

_Chapter Song: The A Team by Ed Sheeran_

"_I'm proud to say that I was perfectly normal, thank you very much. I was the last person you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious because I never believed in such nonsense."_

Slouching in the back seat of the car, I wondered why my dad and stepmother hated me so much. It was the only clear reason that would explain why I was on some unknown driveway at the moment.

Have you ever hated something so much, but it didn't matter if you did or didn't since you had to do it anyways? Well I have. I didn't want to do it, I really didn't. In fact, it was the last thing I want to do on my list—right after dying or watching grass grow. Moving. One of the most hated words a teenager could come across. When my dad sat me down and told me this, I thought he meant we were moving down the block like Sarah Marano had did two months ago when they were struggling to pay the rent. I was wrong, and this was a punishment. Moving across the country from the golden state of California to some town called Savannah all the way on the eastern seaboard was banishment from my life. It meant starting over everything—making new friends, going to a new school getting to know the area, _making new friends_, and the rest is history. And with the last packing of my bag and as I had boarded the flight to Atlanta, I left my whole life behind. I couldn't believe my father was making me go through with this.

But somehow, deep inside I could believe it. This wasn't some soul-searching trip for my dad and his new wife. It was for his job as a historian, his boss practically bribed him here. Since I felt like I was the only person in this house that wasn't being told anything, I took it upon myself to research Savannah, only to find that it's a really old, _I'm talking 18__th__ century old_, and historical town. The details still weren't crystal clear with me on exactly how my father was forced to be here, but I acted like I knew what was going on.

I was so enveloped in misery, it took me a minute to realize that my brother Jeremy was standing in front of me, gawking at the old Victorian style home that was now signed in our name. I swore to myself I'd never admit that it was pretty, but it was. It didn't compare to California though. Thinking back to the beaches, the warm sun, the golden sand, and my friends just made me more miserable that I already was. If that was possible.

"Kids, mind helping me with the suitcases?" Shylee, my stepmom asked us. Jeremy turned around, muttering something inaudible under his breath. He was just as unhappy as I was. Coming around the corner of the car, I found Shylee struggling. Her bright blonde hair was in a messy bun and a drop of sweat rolled down her forehead.

"Thanks." She wiped her brow after handing us the large rolling bag and heavy duffels that contained our personal belongings, things we needed immediately after our red eye last night. As I walked up the driveway, I took a deep breath and smelled the air, which had the heavy sent of fresh cut grass. You couldn't smell the salty ocean air. You're not in California anymore, Alexa.

"Hey, how do you guys like the house?" My dad, one of the only ones sounding positive, called from behind the car.

"It'd be nice to go inside first." I called back. The moment the words were out of my mouth, I felt bad. My father had been the one dragging us through this mess, but he kept positive and he tried making us as happy as possible, though we weren't thinking in the same state of mind.

"Nice to see the nap you took put you in a better mood." His tone depressed, "doors open." He added. Weary eyed and pale faced, both Jeremy and I rolled our way inside. Shylee had flown down earlier last week and arranged our furniture with the decorator, so we didn't have to walk into nothingness. The place was big, bigger than our last home. That still didn't make up for anything. We were faced with the living room when we first walked in. The walls were a creamy pale white that went with the dark brown leather sofa and faux marble floors. Big, decorative curtains were pulled back against the windows. Behind us, Shylee squealed in happiness.

"I'm going to have to give the designer a call, he did a perfect job!" She dropped her bags onto the floor. This was her dream house, the first home she'd every acquired with my father.

"Wow, you did quite a job." My father walked in. Like his wife, he also placed them on the floor, "what do you guys think?"

"It's great." I half lied looking over to Jeremy, who eyed me wondering why I was suddenly being nice.

"Once you see your rooms, I'm sure you'll love it even more." Shylee smiled, clapping her hands together.

"Speaking of my room, where exactly is it?" I wondered, Jeremy continued to stay silent.

"Upstairs." Shylee pointed to the stairs adjacent to us. Without another word, my brother and I sadly dragged ourselves up the stairs.

"Most of your things are still in boxes, we didn't know where you wanted them. I hope it's okay." Shylee apologized, hoping I'd change my attitude.

"Sure." I muttered, continuing the search to find our rooms with Jeremy. Every door we opened would either be a closet, bathroom, or a different room. Easily, Jeremy found his room and threw his suitcase on the floor, then proceeded to sit on his bed and stare at the floor.

"You okay?" I asked as I passed by. He didn't say a word. Taking this as his gesture to leave, that's exactly what I did. Ever since we started packing up our old house, Jeremy stopped talking. You were lucky to get three words out of him at a time. It was killing me. Two doors down, a pile of boxes sat in front of a closed door. Each one of them had a big, fat, 'A' written in a black sharpie. This had to be my room, and finally, I was right. My furniture was all here, placed in the same places that they were in California. It could have passed for my room back home, except the walls were a shade of light tan, I had light wood floors, and there was no view of the city or beach out the window. Everyday for the x-amount of years I'll live here, I'd be staring out onto the overly exciting view of my driveway and new street.

Sunset was disappointing. There was no magnificent ball of fire that turned the sky brilliant shades of orange, yellow, blue, and pink. I'd watch sunset fade and turn into the blackness of night. After I finished unpacking, my stomach had alerted me I probably should have dinner. Walking down the hallway wherever I was in the house, I happened to find my fathers bedroom.

"Hi." I leaned on the doorway, watching him sit on burgundy bedspread shuffling through papers. He jumped and looked up, his glasses falling down to the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, honey, you scared me."

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"Don't worry about it. What's up?" He jotted down another note in his book.

"Do you know where Shylee is?" I asked, looking around his empty room. He didn't bother unpacking the boxes. What he was working on at the moment was more important.

"She's went out about an hour ago."

"Seriously? I'm starving and I was hoping to have dinner some point tonight."

"She should be back any minute." He comforted, continuing to flip through a page of his work.

"You're already starting to work? We just got here." I observed the pile of books stacked up on the bed. One was left open to a page, a pencil sitting in the binding.

"Yes! I'm just doing a little read up of the history here. It's fascinating." Did he always have to sound _so_ excited about being here? His tone was growing to become obnoxious.

"Really? What's so exciting about it?" I crossed my arms across my chest, not exactly caring.

"The fact that mostly everything here was built in the seventeen hundreds makes it incredible. So many famous people have come and gone from this very town. Plus, there are rumors of the place being haunted by ghosts. How cool is that?" I smiled, but it faded as quickly as it had come.

"Oh dad, don't start with that."

"What? You don't believe in ghosts?" A smile played with his lips.

"I stopped believing in that a long time ago." I assured. At the front of the house, the front door opened. Shylee was home with food. Thank God. "Alright, I'm gonna go eat. Have fun with, whatever you're reading." I eyed the books and walked out.

"Hold it!" He stopped, forcing me to walk back in again. Damn, I hated when he did that.

"What's your brother doing?" He wondered, finally looking me in the eye with much concern.

"We're not exactly on speaking terms, I don't know." I shook my head, walking out to go find the kitchen. And once I did, I was shocked to see the amount of plastic bags that sat on the counter.

"Did you buy enough?" I chocked out a laugh.

"There's more in the car." She flashed a warm smile with her perfectly white teeth.

"Well, we must be good for another year or so." I sarcastically joked, raising my brows.

"I know, we needed food though."

"Is there any food? I'm starving since the last time I ate was four this morning." For the record, airport food was pretty gross.

"I thought you'd be hungry." She grabbed a paper bag and handed it to me with a bottle of cold water.

"Thanks." My lips formed a line, and I proceeded back up to my room where I could listen to my iPod and eat in piece. I could drown out the world right then and there.

"That father of yours, always the hard worker." Shylee shook her head, unpacking a box filled with plates. Though I wanted to go to bed and do something other than spend time with my family, I'd decided to help her unpack the kitchen. When I had walked in, she seemed lonely, and I felt bad. Sitting on the cold, hard, granite counter,

"Yup."

"Are you excited for school?"

"Nope." I tucked a piece of brown hair behind my ear. Did we have to continue on this conversation? I'd prefer to do this in silence.

"Do you want to talk about it?" When I didn't answer and continued to place cookbooks on the counter, she looked up towards me. "Sometimes it helps if you talk. You've been so quite these past couple of days."

"I'd rather not." I said with a sigh.

"Look Alexa, I know this has been real hard on you. It's been real hard on all of us, but you can't feel like this forever. I know how hard it is to move away from everyone you love, but you'll meet new people that'll become even better friends with you. Take it as a fresh start, a new life." She shrugged. I could just be myself again, no acts. Everyone in California was fake, and at times, so was I. Nodding to Shylee; I got a smile out of her.

It took a while, but I finally came out of my deep black hole of sadness and I laughed for the first time in a few days. Shylee had a way with words, making me feel better from a certain situation. That was one of the many reasons my dad married her. Though I didn't feel one hundred percent yet, I still felt better than I did when I stood in the driveway several hours ago.

"My junior year was pretty fun. It wasn't as good as senior year but it was pretty funny. I almost got a—" Interrupting our moment, my dad walked in the room. He looked physically drained, and when he saw me, that look turned into surprise and confusion.

"Alexa, why are you still up?" He tilted his head and put a few papers on the counter.

"I was just helping Shylee."

"You know it's almost one thirty in the morning?" He looked at the large watch on his wrist.

"We lost track of time." Shylee apologized.

"It's fine, get to bed, I'll help finish everything up." And with that, he took my place.

Dragging myself up the staircase, I passed by Jeremy's room, which was blaring with lights. His door was open, and as I peeked my head in, I found him fast asleep on top of the covers with his iPod plugged into his ears. Silently I smiled and switched the lights off for him. He'd appreciate it in the morning. After going into my room, changing into pajamas, I noticed how bored I was. There wasn't anything to do: my laptop was packed away somewhere, and I couldn't go downstairs without my dad yelling at me to go to bed. The house was beginning to become quieter, very little noise coming from Shylee and my dad's muffled conversation. Picking up my bags I had carried onto the plane with me today, I found my missing phone and pulled it out. A couple missed calls and four text messages filled the screen, making my heart jump. My friends missed me they still remembered me! Each message was regarding how my best friends, Tory Katz, Rosie McDonald, and Jackson Furry, missed me and they wanted to know how everything had gone. To lazy to call each of them back, I decided to just call Jackson, my best friend and my non-legitamate brother. I was closer to him than I was to Jeremy actually. Back in California, he would practically live at my house and vise versa. Pacing the room, I listened to the phone ring multiple times until it went to voicemail.

"Hey, Jackson, it's Alexa." I paused, feeling like I couldn't breath. "Sorry I didn't call earlier, it's been pretty hectic here with unpacking and my dad and especially Jeremy. Well, I'm here, but I'd rather not be. I start school on Monday, and I'm unfortunately going shopping tomorrow to get last minute things, but I'm sure I'll talk to you before then. This time change thing is killing me. It's one thirty here, only eleven I'm guessing where you are, I guess you're sleeping. Call me soon, okay? Say hi to everyone; tell them I miss them a lot. Love you, and keep in touch. Bye." I sadly hung up, hoping to find him call back in five minutes. He didn't. Somehow, I felt like I wouldn't be talking to any of them anytime soon. Grabbing a book off of my dresser, in the corner of my eye I could see something fall onto the floor. Looking back, I picked up the glossy paper that had fallen. There was a water stain on the blank side of the paper, so I turned over to find a picture printed on it. A reminiscing smile grew on my lips. A picture of my dad, Shylee, and me at their wedding was in my hands. Sitting back down on my bed, I placed my phone on the dresser and looked over the picture. Shylee was dressed in an amazingly beautiful wedding gown: strapless and classy. Her blonde hair rested in curls on her shoulders and cascaded down her back. Standing next to her, I wore a silky light pink dress that reached the floor. My hair was worn straight, as usual, and the sunset behind us brought out the natural golden highlights in it. Adjacent to me was my father and brother who both wore tuxedos and pink ties. I remember the wedding like it was yesterday. It was a beach wedding that was Shylee's idea. I didn't know where to begin, it was one of the best nights of my life, and it only happened six or seven months ago. A flood of memories from the night rushed over me, which made me sad, thinking that I'll never have something like that again.

_Boy was I wrong. _


	2. Shopping & Traditions

**A/N: Chapter 2! Here we go. This is kind of a filler chapter. But, still very important for later!**

_Chapter Two:_

_Shopping & Traditions_

_Chapter Song: Superhuman Touch by Athlete_

The sunlight bathed my skin as I lay on my side. As hard as I tried to keep my eyes closed and fall back asleep to escape the day, it was clear it wasn't going to happen. Mentally groaning at the thought of getting up to face the day, I knew I had to do it. Reluctantly throwing the covers off of me, I threw my legs over the side of the bed, my feet sweeping over the cold wood floor. After getting up from my comfortable bed, I walked over to the window and grabbed onto the shades that blocked out most of the sun coming into the room. Pulling them apart, my room was flooded with uncomfortably bright sunlight. My eyes squinted, black dots forming in front of them as they adjusted to the light. Once adjusted and able to see, my eyes scanned over the empty street that greeted my view. Not a car passed by, not a single child played ball in their front yard with their parents sitting nearby drinking glasses of ice-cold lemonade. This sure was different then back home, and I didn't like it.

Reaching into my purse one shower and clothing change later, I counted the wag of money I had found before we left California—sixty-three dollars and thirty two cents. As I walked, more like tip toed downstairs, the faint sound of Jeremy snoring crept in the air. Grabbing the keys to my dads car, which I eventually found on the kitchen counter, I opened the front door only for it to creek loudly. _You stupid door, don't wake anyone up_, I prayed. I knew how cranky Jeremy would be if someone woke him up before eleven. It was not a pretty sight. Quickly walking out the front door, I headed to my fathers black Traverse and turned the key in the ignition, the car roaring to life.

How was it possible for someone to get lost so easily? And with out a GPS, it was hopeless. I had made a wrong turn half a mile back and now I was in some deserted neighborhood. It seemed like a normal small town neighborhood—normal sized houses, manicured lawns, and affordable mid-sized sedans. Just like my neighborhood, it was deserted; families were still asleep since it was only nine thirty in the morning. Ahead at the end of the street, there was a cul-de-sac, so I figured I would turn around there. Speeding up the car a bit, I made a half turn until I realized the car wouldn't fit and I'd go onto the grass. Putting the car in reverse, I pressed on the gas only to slowly go backwards, until the car was bumped by something. Slamming on the breaks, I put the car into park. _Shoot, what did I hit? _Please don't let it be another car, or a mailbox, or an animal, or worse—a person. If I dented this car, my father would kill me. As I came around the back of the car, I found…

"What?" the word escaped my mouth in barely a whisper. Nothing. Not a dent in the metal of the car, and not a trace of anything I had hit. There were no cars in a hitting radius, and not a person was in sight. If I had hit an animal, it had run off. Looking back up, my eyes caught the sight of an unordinary house that looked like it didn't belong anywhere near here. Though it was the same size as the others, it was half burnt down. The roof was partially caved in and the windows were shattered—what was left was so dusty you couldn't see through them. Weeds grew out of every square inch of the grass had to be nearly up to someone's knees. The large wooden door, which had scorch marks on it, was boarded up. Shiny pieces of glass were sparkling along the grass. Burnt roof shakes were buried in the rubble and the wood paneling on the house was black as night. This place was a health code violation, why on earth haven't they knocked it down yet? It was obvious that the place had a fire, but I couldn't help but wonder exactly what happened. Breaking my thought train, I hopped back into the car and starting driving back. With one last look of the burnt down house, I left for downtown.

"Um, excuse me, do you know where the school supplies are?" I eventually cut my losses and asked a worker after ten minutes of searching around the store.

"Isle seven, right next to the cards." The woman emotionlessly answered, blankly going right back to stacking the empty shelves. Following her directions, I found myself next to the cards and finally the school materials. Throwing packs of pencils, pens, notebooks, and folders into my bag I already found myself checking out.

"Thank you, have a nice day." An elderly woman cashier told the man in front of me, handing him back a dollar and change. Without another word, the man left and she began scanning my items.

"School supplies? You're a bit late." She chuckled. It was late August. Schools here started two weeks ago, it wasn't my fault.

"Yeah," I giggled a fake laugh, not knowing what to say. _God, this is awkward, I_ said to myself. Truth was, this wasn't awkward. I was making it awkward.

"Your total is forty two fifty. Would you like a receipt in the bag?"

"Yeah, that'd be good. Thanks." She handed me two plastic bags and I handed her the money. She gave me back my change and I stuffed it in my wallet and put my wallet back into my purse.

"Have a nice day!" She yelled. I grinned and walked away to my car. Hopefully this time it was easier to get home than it was to get here.

"Restarting senior year sucks." Jeremy huffed twirling his fork into his Chinese take out. Since elementary school, this was our tradition we almost always did—sitting in our rooms with each other eating take out before the first day of school. I speared my fork into a piece of honey garlic chicken and popped it into my mouth.

"Restarting junior year's almost as bad."

"Whatever. I'll be out of here in another year." He sighed, his eyes falling down to his plate of food.

"Does this mean you and Brooke are still applying to NYU? Or is that out the window now…" My voice trailed off, regretting asking Jeremy the question. Brooke Miller had been my brother's girlfriend for over a year. It was never clear to me if they had broken up or not.

"We cut the relationship. I don't know why I hadn't done it sooner."

"Oh come on Jer, you really liked her."

"She's to bossy. Whatever let her go stick to this drama career. I'm going to UCLA, whether they accept me or not."

"You know her parents were bossy, and a bit over protective—"

"A bit?" He barked.

"Okay, maybe a lot."

"I don't really care. Whatever, she's gone. We're thousands of miles away in the middle of nowhere."

"You don't have to act tough all the time."

"Whatever." He mumbled, letting a silence fall over us.

"You know you're being a little hard on dad and Shylee, right?"

"They deserve it."

"Do you really think it's dad's fault he got a promotion? Jer, I'm angry too but you can't hold it against him forever. They've been trying with you for the past few days."

"So you think I should starting talking to them again." He asked, completely clueless. I glared at him since even he knew the answer to that question.

"Ugh, fine!" He moaned, rolling his eyes. Good, now that problem could be solved.

"Where were you this morning? I went to your room to see if you wanted to go out for coffee and you weren't here, and neither was the car." He stated.

"I went out to go get some stuff for school tomorrow, bad idea on my part to throw everything out."

"Dude, you should have told me. I would have gone with you."

"Well, you were sleeping _dude_." I mocked.

"Next time wake me up."

"Next time? There's not one day I get up before eight o'clock except for school."

"You know what I mean."

"Speaking of cars, when is yours going to get here?" Jeremy had a 2010 sterling grey mustang that he was nice enough to share with me, when I needed to go out. It was such a guy car for me, but it was a set of wheels and I needed them. We'd shipped the car down a day or two after my dads, and now I'd get stuck with my dad driving us to school. Great, what an embarrassing way to start off the year.

"Sometime by Wednesday. The guy is being so slow on bringing it down."

"Great that means dad's going to drop us off tomorrow." I groaned. Back in my freshman year where neither Jeremy nor I had our licenses, my dad would try to be 'the cool dad' and turn on 100.1 Z100 really loud and roll down the windows. My face turned red at the thought of it.

"Looks like it'll be another week." He looked down to his take out box.

"Dear God no." I mumbled. I could not deal with the embarrassment from 'cool dad'.

"I'm kidding, cars in the garage." He smirked.

"You're not funny." I hissed.

"So, what do you think tomorrow's going to be like?" He asked the dreaded question of the night.

"Awkward, terrible, weird. Something along the lines of that."

"As weird as this sounds, sit with me at lunch? I don't want to me the weird loner kid sitting alone in the corner."

"I was just gonna ask the same thing."

"Good. So it's—" A kock at the door caused both of us to look up.

"Come in!" Jeremy yelled. The door slowly creaked open and Shylee stood there smiling at us.

"How was dinner?" She asked.

"Good." We both replied.

"That's great. I know this isn't usually like me, but you two should get to bed, it's a school night and you two need your rest for tomorrow morning!" She held her hands together. Both of us groaned and lazily picked ourselves up and grabbed the take out containers.

"Just give me those, I'll throw them out." She kindly offered. We handed her our containers and she walked out.

"Goodnight!" She called from the hallway.

"Night!" We said in unison.

"See you in the morning." I walked out of Jeremy's room and across the hall and into mine. I brushed my teeth and quickly hopped into bed. Turning the lamp off, I waited for sleep to overcome me. Please, please, let tomorrow be as painless as possible. Why couldn't I just make friends as easy as possible?


	3. Second First Day

** Chapter Three**

** Second First Day**

** Chapter Song: Be There by Howie Day **

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. The most dreaded sound of my irritating alarm clock rang and echoed through the room. I groaned into my pillow, forcing myself to open my eyes. My window, which I had forgotten to close last night, alerted me that it was still dark outside. With it's blinking red numbers, the clock told me it was six thirty. Why was I up this early? Oh right, the second first day of my Junior year. I literally dragged myself out of bed and started to collect all my thoughts. With a change of clothing in my hand, I groggily walked to the bathroom to hear shuffling noises coming from Jeremy's room. Since the door was open I peaked in, he was lying on his stomach holding a pillow over his head.

"Jer, what are you doing, get up." I directed.

"No,your stupid alarm clock woke me up. I want to go back to sleep." He whined like a little kid.

"Okay just don't blame me when we're late!" I rang and went to the bathroom. I took a glance at myself in the mirror, I looked sleep deprived. Nothing a little make up couldn't fix though. After taking a fifteen-minute shower, I had to drag myself out and put on my clothes. I slid on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a red tank top. Then I began applying makeup until there was a knock at the bathroom door.

"Alexa how much time do you need in the damn bathroom?" Jeremy groaned.

"Oh look whose finally up." I unlocked the door and opened it. Jeremy was still in his sleeping clothes- a black shirt and baggy grey pants.

"Can I just shower now?"

"It's all yours." I stepped out of the room. He shut the door behind me. From my closet, I grabbed a pair of black converses and placed them on my feet. My already packed bag sat on my counter so I grabbed it and walked down stairs. The house was so silent you could possibly hear a pin drop. The only noise came from the bathroom, where Jeremy was getting ready. It was finally bright outside, which made it a little easier to get through the morning. The sounds of the coffee machine running echoed in the room after I turned it on. I rummaged through the pantry for breakfast, but nothing was coming to mind. I wasn't hungry, or correction- it was too early to eat anything. That was more like it. I grabbed a box of cereal and poured it into a white ceramic bowl. The thought of eating made my stomach turn. I popped a few pieces into my mouth and crunched them down. _Not so bad_, I thought.

"I'm so tired." Jeremy slowly dragged himself in the room.

"Here, this might wake you up." I handed him a cup filled with coffee.

"You're a life savior." He praised when he went straight for the fridge. He grabbed the cream and poured it into the cup. Then he handed the carton to me. I poured it into my cup and watched the two different colors of the coffee and the cream mix together. I stirred it with a spoon. Jeremy looked over to the bowl full of cereal and took a handful and inhaled it before I could even say a word. After a few minutes, we both finished snacking on our breakfast .

"Ready to go?" He wondered.

"Yeah, let me go get my jacket and brush my teeth." I ran up the stairs and went straight to the bathroom. As fast as I could, I brushed my teeth, rinsed out my mouth with mouthwash, and then headed to my room. In my closet, a black leather jacket hung on a hanger squished between other clothing. I grabbed it and ran downstairs to find Jeremy waiting with the keys in his hands.

Groves High School was like any other public school I've seen. The buildings, the parking lot, the cliques, all the same. I couldn't help but feel a couple of eyes plastered on my brother and me as we stepped out of his car. It was getting quite awkward, as the stares were more obvious now.

"Loving this already." Jeremy huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Lets just, get inside and start the day already." I walked close to him. We walked through the big double doors to find rows after rows of lockers and classrooms.

"So, which one do you thinks the office?" I mused.

"I don't know, ask a teacher."

"No way, you do it."

He groaned. "Fine." Jeremy stopped at a teacher who was by the door of a classroom.

"Do you know where the office is?" He chewed on his mint gum.

"Right down the hall and to the right. Spit out the gum on your way, please." The teacher coldly replied.

"Thanks and will do." Jeremy silently laughed since it was obvious he wasn't going to throw out his gum. He continued to chew it.

When we turned around to walk, I bumped into someone.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." I said realizing I dropped his books onto the floor. Feeling sorry for the dark haired boy, I bent down and picked them up.

"Huh? Oh, it's-it's fine. Thanks." The dark haired and handsome boy took them from me; we exchanged an awkward smile, and then proceeded our different ways.

"You're such a klutz!" Jeremy humiliated me, my cheeks turning red.

"This couldn't get any worse." I mumbled and we found our way to the office.

"Excuse me, we're new here, is this where we can get our schedules?" I asked the lady at a big wooden desk.

"Oh yes, names please!"

"Alexa Pennington." I said.

"Jeremy Pennington."

"Welcome you two. Just one moment, I'll give you your schedules once they print." The elderly woman sounded like she didn't want to be here. I couldn't blame her, it seemed like a boring job. We waited a few moments for our schedules.

"Here you go" She handed it to us.

"Thanks." My brother and I said in unison. We walked out of the office and then stopped in our places.

"Room 403" I read the numbers out loud.

"Room 107." Jeremy did too. We said goodbye to each other and then went our separate ways. I was left to walk the hallways alone. But, eventually I did find the room. My first class was U.S History with a man named Mr. Henaley. Room 408 was pretty big, and there were a lot of desks that filled it up. In the front of the room was a white board with notes on it written in red and black. A big wooden desk and a black roll chair were on the left of the board. Tacky white blinds were pulled up revealing a few windows along the wall. I noticed sitting in the black chair was a man, presuming he was my teacher I walked over to him.

"Are you Mr. Henaley?" I asked. He looked up from the papers he was grading. A big, fat, red, 'F' was written on the top one.

"Yes…" He began wondering what I wanted.

"I'm Alexa Pennington, I just moved here and this is U.S History right? Well, this is my first period."

"Welcome Miss Pennington. You can go take a seat right in the free desk over there." He pointed to the middle row.

"Okay, thanks." I walked away to my desk and got settled. I unpacked my blue notebook and a pencil. When I was about to sit down, I swung my bag around and hit someone…again. How bad was this going to get?

"Oh my god…" I whispered and turned around. This was just not my day, was it?

"I'm so sorry…I—" I paused once I noticed it was the dark haired guy I had bumped into earlier.

"I just keep running into you don't I?" A smile appeared on my face.

"It seems like it." He flashed a smile back at me. This time I didn't drop any of his books. "But, again I'm sorry for the bumping into you in the hallway and you know, right now."

"Don't worry about it, it's really okay."

"I swear I'm not this clumsy." I really wasn't, this was rare for me to be being so gawky.

"Are you new here? Or did you just switch into this class?"

"No I'm new, I just got in Saturday night. This is my first day."

"Oh wow you started fast. What's your name? I figure I should know it incase we bump into each other again." The boy sat down behind me.

I laughed at his comment. "Alexa Pennington. Yours?"

"Danny Taylor. My real names Daniel, but I don't go by that." He shrugged.

"Well, nice to meet you Danny."

"Like wise."

"So, truthfully, is the school terrible?"

"It's not that bad. Have you met anyone yet?"

"Only you."

"Then who was that guy you were walking with earlier?" he questioned.

"Oh, that's my brother Jeremy."

"Oh, I see. Where did you move from?"

"California."

"Lucky. Of all places, why did you move to Savannah?"

"My dads a historian, he got promoted and his boss somehow convinced him to move here."

"Really? I'm sorry."

"Your sorry? You didn't do anything." I chuckled.

"But still, I understand how much that must suck." He shrugged.

"You're r—"

"Danny talking to a new girl? Get it, Danny, get it!" A boy in a football jersey ridiculously cheered. Two blonde girls and one boy behind him were laughing uncontrollably. The two boys high fived each other and finally stopped laughing

I turned around and looked at the group of obnoxious populars. "Shut up." I friendly smiled and then turned back around to Danny. The group of teens stayed silent but a couple continued to laugh.

"Oh, she told you off Scott." The blonde haired girl chuckled an ugly laugh.

"Ignore them." I told the embarrassed Danny.

"Believe me, I'm so used to them. I've been dealing with that since kindergarten. They always stay the same." He laughed.

"They're jerks, forget about them. And it's good you don't care, I wouldn't if I were you." I told him. His bright blue eyes, once sad, now were shining with happiness. Before we began to talk again, the teacher started his lesson.

**A/N: So, pretend this isn't a cartoon, like it's an actual real life human story, not an animation. Lol. But please review! I'll subscribe and whatever you do on here to all of you that do. Also feel free to leave a comment telling me to read your stories and comment on them, because I will. Alrighty, so review, comment, keep reading etc.**

**Till tomorrow, **

**Xxx, **

**Elena 3 **


	4. Have You Heard?

**Chapter Four**

**Have you heard?**

**Chapter Song: Take Me To The Riot by Stars**

Luck was on my side today. I had made a few friends and so far, I had to admit, it wasn't so bad. It was just another day, another state, and another year. It was the middle of the day and I was in the class right before lunch, which was Math. I had headed down one of the long corridors and headed into the class with a paper in my hand. I walked in, the teacher had frozen in the middle of talking, and turns towards me, so did the rest of the class. It was embarrassing, but eventually I relaxed and compromised with myself that it wasn't too embarrassing. Currently, I was sitting next to a girl I met named Jenna Kaplan. She was probably one of the nicest girls that I met so far. Jenna was pale and had long strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. Jenna passed me a note about saying how that this class isn't usually so boring. Maybe today was just an off day. I watched the clock hit twelve thirty and the bell rang. Thank God.

"What class do you have next?" Jenna asked, packing up her pink glittery notebook thathad the word 'Math' written on the front in black sharpie.

"Lunch. You?"

"Lunch! Do you want to sit with us?" She jumped.

"Us?"

"Yeah us. Me, Katelyn, Geoff, Tiffany, Sasha, and Wesley."

"Oh gosh, I still have to meet those people too. I totally would sit with you and all, but I promised my brother I would sit with him."

"Whose your brother?"

"Jeremy Pennington. He's a senior, I doubt you know him since he just got here too."

"No, I think I know him. I think I have History with him or something."

"Your taking a senior class?"

"Yeah, it's my best class." She proudly said.

"Lucky, it's not my greatest subject."

"It's pretty hard, I wont blame you." She said but I just shrugged.

"So did you here about the phantom yet?" She surprisingly asked me really excited.

"The what?" I coughed a laugh, I began to think she was joking around with me.

"Ghost boy? Phantom?"

"Jenna, what are you talking about?" I began to think she was crazy.

"The ghost boy! Oh my god you haven't heard of him yet? No body told you? He's this ghost boy that tries to hurt other ghosts and he like roams or haunts or whatever you want to call it around the Savannah area. He always shows up if another ghost does, and most of the time people get hurt. That's the scary part."

"A ghost? You're kidding me right?"

"Not at all. I didn't believe in them at first but they are around here. I've seen him before; he's kind of hot. But you have to see him to believe me. I've heard stories that he's good but I think he's evil, one of my friends Katelyn got hurt because some ghost was near her. How creepy is that? If you see him, don't get near him. Geoff told me that he heard some guy talking about how he can 'overshadow' people and controls them. Freaky."

"Wow, evil ghosts that do mind control. Well, that's new. But I guess I believe you." I lied, I didn't believe her one bit, and the supernatural was absolutely ridiculous. It was used to books and movies, not reality. Inside my head, I was laughing ridiculously at how crazy Jenna was acting.

"Eh, maybe it's only me that thinks he's evil, I don't know. But anyways, have fun with your brother! Maybe we'll have more classes with each other." She smiled her perfectly white teeth.

"Hopefully." I returned the smile. She gathered all her belongings and left the class before me. In the corner of my eye when I left the room, I saw Jenna walking hand in hand with a boy with blonde hair. She didn't tell me she had a boyfriend. _Lucky her_, I thought. When I was searching for Jeremy in the busy hallway, I heard my name being called.

"Alexa!" My name traveled through the hallway. I turned around to look for whoever was calling me.

"Hey, wait up!" Danny shut his locker and ran to me.

"Hi." I smiled.

"What class do you have now?" He wondered.

"Lunch."

"Awesome, I do too. Want to sit with me and Elliot?"

"That'd be awesome but—I'm have to sit with my…" I stopped mid sentence to see my brother walking to the parking lot with a girl.

"I'm sure my brother can find someone else to sit with. Let's go." I grinned and we walked to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was smaller than the one we had back in California, but it was still big. There was way to many tables and chairs filling the room. To top it off, almost all of them were filled with talkative students. We walked towards a table where a boy in forest green polo and jeans sat looking at a notebook. He had short dark brown hair cut simple and clean. It was spiked a little bit in the front. He had brown eyes matching his hair.

"Danny, you'll never guess what I found out about s—oh, hello…" The boy looked surprised to see me.

"Elliot, this is Alexa Pennington. She just moved here from California, so I asked her if she wanted to sit with us." He started.

"Oh well of course, sit with us, Alexa." Elliot offered.

"If you don't mind." I pulled out a chair and sat in it.

"So, why did you move here?" Elliot tried to start conversation.

"My dads a historian and he got some big promotion. His boss convinced him to move here and he agreed. This is a really historical town apparently."

"It is, there's so much history in this small town. In 1864 there was—" Elliot was cut off by Danny.

"Thank you Mr. text book." He interrupted, stopping Elliot from talking. I giggled.

"So, did you meet anyone yet?"

"Basically you two, Jenna Kaplan, and some girl named Victoria. That's all."

"Oh. That's pretty good for your first day." Elliot shrugged. Danny agreed.

"Elliot, what were you gonna tell me when we first walked up?" Ash remembered.

"Huh? Oh! Right. So you missed it, during chemistry we were doing some experiment and Scott spilled water all over his pants and he started freaking out that it was some sort of chemical. Funniest thing I've ever seen." Danny started laughing at Elliot's story.

"Scott, isn't he the one in our history class? Or am I just mixing up names?"

"No, you're catching on easily, he is the right guy."

"Wow, and I'm terrible at learning names. But he thought water was like dangerous? What a freak." I chuckled.

"I like her, she's fitting in already." Elliot pointed out. My only reply was with my semi smile.

"But that whole group is the most annoying people you would ever meet. Not to mention dumb too."

"Whose in it? I'm sure I'll figure it out but you might want to give me a heads up."

"Scott of course, his best friend Nico, Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Kayla Emery, Rebeca Hover, Briana Sableman, Derrick Miller, who else, oh right, Ali Grandite, Brennan Marjory. You can't miss them, they're piled into their group." Elliot said.

"I hate groups like that. They're _so_ annoying." I commented.

"Right? We'll wait until you meet them."

For the rest of lunch we talked about all the people here, which ones to stay away from and which ones to be friendly too. We also discussed some of the teachers, which classes were an easy A and which ones were difficult.

"Hey, I forgot to ask you guys, I might sound stupid saying this but do you know something about a ghost boy?" Elliot stopped everything and Danny started chocking on his drink.

"I'm taking that as a no?" I asked. Danny cleared his throat.

"No, we've heard of him before. Never actually saw him but we've heard of the fights or things he's gotten into." Elliot said calmly.

"So he is real? Jenna was talking nonsense about a phantom ghost. But you guys really don't believe in that stuff right? It's all fake." Both of the boys looked at each other and shrugged.

"So, what class do you have next?" Danny changed the subject. I couldn't blame him; it was stupid to talk about. I pulled out my schedule and searched for sixth period.

"English Three with Mr. Froth."

"Awesome! We're in the same class!"

"That's great. What's your class after?"

"Math."

"Oh, I have Chemistry."

"Me too." Danny cut in.

"So we have History, Spanish, and Chem together."

"Don't forget lunch." He smirked.

"Of course not." We all got up and threw away our garbage together. The bell had rung and Elliot and I were off to class.

"Here we go, English." Elliot held the door for me.

"Thanks." I told him and walked over to the teacher's desk.

"Mr. Froth." I shyly spoke. When he looked up, his classes fell to the bridge of his nose.

"Yes? Oh, are you the new student? Miss…Pennington?" He searched down his list of students in the class.

"Yeah, my names Alexa." I informed.

"Well welcome to my class. I think you'll enjoy it. Tomorrow I'll give you a list of books you need and you will have to buy them, okay?"

"Okay."

"Now go take a seat, Miss Pennington." He smiled. I listened to him and took a seat besides Elliot.

"He seems nice." I commented.

"He is. Kind of oblivious to everything, but still nice." He smirked.

"Oblivious?"

"Like being unaware of t—"

"You idiot I know what it means!" I laughed.

"Basically you could be texting right in front of him and he wouldn't notice." He shrugged.

"Oh."

"So, how'd you meet Danny of all people?"

"Well technically I met him twice, but first I bumped into him and dropped his books in the hallway—"

"You bumped into him? That's great!" Elliot interrupted.

"Oh whatever. But as I was saying, I said sorry and we walked away. But he's in my first period and I, well, bumped into him again. It was kind of funny if you think about it."

"It's kind of funny if you don't think about it." Elliot snickered.

"Oh god Elliot." I shook my head with a smile on my face.

**A/N: So this chapter was pretty much fluff but I promise it leads into the story more! I've already written a couple future chapters and I've done the next two already. PLEASE REVIEW. I want some feed back! **

**Xxx,**

**Elena 3 **


	5. First Sighting

**A/N: Okay, so what I never really made clear here is what this story is based on. It's a fan-fic of Danny Phantom, but it's different characters, town, and school basically. Elliot is based off Tucker, he's a geeky high school kid with Danny as his best friend. Danny Taylor, who is based off Danny Fenton/Phantom, is also a halfa (just like in the show). There is no such thing as Sam in this story. Alexa takes her place. Alexa's the new kid that befriends Danny and Elliot extremely quickly, so she is taking Sam's place. Yes; Danny, Elliot, and Alexa will all have their little ghost adventures but I haven't gotten that far yet. Just give the story time, I swear it gets better! **

_Chapter Five_

_First Sighting_

_Chapter Song: Bring On The Comets by VHS or Beta_

A week of school has passed already; time was flying faster than ever. My first day had passed with flying colors. It was a total success. I had become best friends with Danny and Elliot in a short amount of time, we spent every afternoon together just hanging out. Jenna had stayed my friend though we kept in our separate groups, we hung out over the weekend. At the moment, I was walking to Math with Jenna. It was only fourth period and I felt like the day was taking forever to finish.

"So what do—" I was interrupted by the sound of screaming students and a loud crash.

"What was that?" I exclaimed.

"I don't know!" Jenna looked around. A few kids ran in the other direction of us, some ran into rooms. Another crash emitted from a hallway far away from us. Screams followed. Jenna ran towards the sound.

"Jenna, are you crazy?" I called out. She kept running towards the commotion, I groaned, and ran after her. I followed her shadow until I caught up with her.

"Jenna what's wrong with you. You're supposed to go the other—oh my god." I stopped in my place. In front of me was two ghosts fighting. A light cloud of smoke was floating in the air and beginning to disappear.

"That's the ghost boy!" Jenna pointed to the white haired boy. He had glowing green eyes and wore a black bodysuit. He had white gloves and boots that matched his hair. He looked to be around my age, not any younger but possibly a little bit older.

"So, you weren't joking?" My question sounded like a surprised statement.

"Of course I wasn't! See, I told you he was bad!" She yelled over the screams and loud noises.

"I believe you." Even I was surprised that I admitted it. There were such things as ghosts.

"Someone's gonna get hurt, let's get out of here." Jenna suggested. I nodded my head agreeing, until I saw Elliot lying on the floor.

"Elliot!" I screamed.

"Forget about him!" Jenna said beginning to already run away.

"You go ahead. I'm just going to get Elliot, I'll be fine." I told her. She shrugged and ran to the bathroom for protection. I threw down my backpack and reluctantly ran towards him and bent down to the ground. He was leaning against the lockers, calmly.

"Are you nuts? You're just sitting here in the middle of this? Where's Danny?" I yelled. Before Elliot could answer, I watched the ghost boy take a metal contraption that he was holding; open it up, and the ghost disappeared inside of it.

"What, huh?" I sat there, more confused as ever. The ghost boy turned around looked at Elliot and I, then disappeared into thin air.

"Elliot, what just happened?" I looked around the quiet and damaged hallway. Some of the lockers were dented and there was burn marks on the wall.

"Not sure." He replied.

"Where's Danny?" I immediately asked.

"I don't know, bathroom or—"

"Alexa, Elliot! Whoa, what happened here?" Danny stopped in his tracks, just like I had before.

"Some ghost just attacked!" Elliot seemed to be too surprised.

"Really? Did Alexa see that ghost boy? If he was here?"

"He, he was here." I still was kneeling on my knees next to Elliot. I finally got up and a million thoughts raced through my head. All those years I thought ghosts were made up, they were real. These weren't like any kind of ghosts in the movies, these were even more unreal. The ghost boy, he looked human, besides the ghost tail and flying part. His opponent, he was green skinned and he was shooting stuff out of his hands. What had just happened?

"Ugh, I can't believe I missed him. I wanted to see them fight!" Danny groaned.

"Why would you want to see them fight, that was terrible! I feel so bad for that other ghost!" I felt sympathetic.

"What?" Both boys cried in unison.

"What do you mean what?"

"That ghost boy was huring him. Do you see how many people he just put in danger? Oh my god I cant believe this." It was still sinking in.

"Alexa! Are you okay?" Jenna ran out of one of the rooms and towards me.

"I'm fine, Jenna. We probably should go before we get in trouble for this mess. I'll see you guys next period." I waved goodbye to the guys, standing there in silence. Jenna and I walked off to math still in shock of what happened.

"I told you! He's evil, he puts people in danger!"

"I totally agree. That's terrible." I shook my head.

"The teachers have heard about the ghost attacks, and the principal was out there before, so don't worry, we won't be counted as late." Jenna informed.

"Good to know." I nodded as we walked into a class half filled with the students.

**A/N: **

**Character descriptions anyone? Well, Danny basically looks the same as he does in the show. Same black hair and blue eyes. **

**Alexa: Long, dark, brown hair and hazel eyes. Not to tall and not to short. **

**Elliot: He's based off of Logan Henderson (aka Logan Mitchell if you've seen BTR), dark, short, brown hair and brown eyes. He's tall. So, yeah review :] **


	6. I Know What I Saw

_Chapter Six_

_I Know What I Saw_

_Chapter Song: What The Hell by Avril Lavigne_

Keeping quiet about the ghost encounter was simple. I didn't have any thought's to it, besides the fact it totally freaked me out. It was obvious Elliot and Danny knew there was something wrong, they had been asking for days if I was okay. My reply was that I was fine. Oddly enough, seeing a ghost didn't make Elliot nor Danny freaked out, which was strange. Jeremy had gone out with a friend for the rest of the day, so he let me take the car back home. Along with the car came Elliot and Danny, who both suggested we should all do our homework together.

"I still can't believe you have a mustang. It's such a guy car!" Elliot commented from the backseat.

"I told you, me and my brother share a car. And next year, it's all mine." I informed. I drummed my fingers against the steering will, in sync with the music playing off of the radio while we waited at a red light.

"Lucky. Do you know how many guys want this card? Including me?" Danny, who sat next to me in the passenger seat, raved.

"I get it guys, it's a hot guy car. Elliot, do you _even_ have your license yet?"

"Not exactly. I got my permit seven and a half months ago."

"I'm making it clear, I'm not turning into your chauffer." I laughed.

"I tried making the clear months ago." Danny put in.

"Elliot! You're making Danny drive you? What a good friend you are." I sarcastically commented. A car in the other lane honked at us.

"Oh just pay attention to the road." He demanded when we all noticed my driving became a little reckless; I had drifted half into the right lane and half into the left. The rest of the drive was quiet; the only noise was the music blasting on the radio. The second I parked in my driveway, I shut off the car and unbuckled myself. Danny got out next and then leaned the chair forward so Elliot could hop out. I popped open the trunk so the two boys could go grab their backpacks. We all walked up to the front door and I opened it with my key.

"Shylee?" I called, setting my key's down on the closest counter. My voice echoed through the silent house. Knowing my dad would still be at work, Shylee would be the only one home, but I guess today she just wasn't.

"You call your mom Shylee?" Danny spoke up knowing that I didn't have a sister.

"She's my stepmom." I told them.

"Stepmom? Where's your real mom?" Elliot asked but Danny elbowed him in the stomach.

"Um, she left me, Jeremy, and my dad when I was three." I had a feeling this conversation was going to get way more awkward.

"I'm sorry." Danny rubbed the back of his neck.

"Me too…" Elliot's voice trailed off.

"It's fine, I don't even remember her. And I like Shylee way more, so it's okay." I began walking up to my room. The boys decided to follow me after a couple seconds of standing there aimlessly.

"Kids? I'm home!" Shylee's voice rang from downstairs.

"Hold on, I'll be right back." I told the guys, who we're successfully doing their and my chemistry homework. I walked over to the banister of the stairs and leaned over to find Shylee searching through her purse.

"Hey." I smiled to her.

"Oh! Hello, honey!"

"Jeremy's at a friends house, and if you don't mind, I have a couple of friends over, Danny and Elliot." I told her.

"Of course not. I don't mind at all. Would they like to stay for dinner? It's getting late."

"I'll—"

"Yes!" Danny and Elliot yelled in unison.

"That would be a yes." I laughed. Shylee stood there giggling. I'll get something cooking. She walked off to the kitchen and I walked off into the bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Danny was holding the picture of my family and me at the wedding.

"When was this?" He asked.

"A year and a half ago?"

"You look good." Danny awkwardly commented.

"And whose Jackson?" Elliot asked, he was looking down on one of my wooden counters. My phone was lit up and he was reading a message.

"Elliot!" I pushed him out of the way.

"Well, who is he?"

"First of all, don't ever read my messages, and second of all, he's my friend from back home."

"Boyfriend friend?"

"Friend. _Just_ friend. He's like my brother."

"How adorable." Elliot remarked. I scowled and an amusing smile crossed his face.

"Now if your both done, can we move onto number five?" Danny set the picture frame down onto my nightstand.

"Thanks for the dinner Mrs. Pennington, it was delicious!" Elliot thanked Shylee.

"Your welcome, any time!" She turned the sink on and began to wash the dirty dishes.

"Oh god. Alexa, your gonna kill me." Shylee groaned.

"What?" I hesitated.

"You know the neighbor Misses Green. She lives to the right of us."

"Yeah, why?"

"Could you drop these off at her house for me? They came in our mail by accident and I'm sure she needs them." Shylee handed me three pieces of mail.

"Right now?"

"If you wouldn't mind." Shylee smiled innocently.

"Fine. Guys, you're coming with me." We walked out of the house and down the driveway. The sun hadn't set yet, so we had plenty of light to see our way to the house.

"So, whose this Misses Green?" Danny asked.

"Like I actually know. Apparently she's some old lady who yelled at my brother last week for speeding down the street. He got threatened with a call to the police, who does that?" I asked. Danny laughed and Elliot looked at us.

"Well he shouldn't be speeding…"

"Elliot, shut up." I playfully smacked him and after I rang the doorbell. Impatiently, I tapped my foot on the ground waiting for her to answer the door.

"What!" The woman hissed.

"Hi Misses Green, your mail accidentally got into our mailbox so, just wanted to give it back to you." I handed her the letters.

"Accidentally? Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah, honest mistake of the mail man I guess."

"Ah, Monty's vet bills, I've been waiting for these for a week!" Right on queue, a small tricolored cat came up and brushed along Misses Green's leg.

"Oh! I love cat's!" Elliot happily stated looking at the cat.

"Don't touch him!" She yelled, making the cat run back inside.

"I don't even like cats…" Elliot quickly thought and shook is head.

"Is that all?" She asked, evidence of anger in her voice.

"Yes, have a good night." I turned around, dragging the boys with me. We walked down her driveway and onto the sidewalk.

"Now I know why you don't like her."

"Yeah."

"Well, that was…weird." Danny searched for the right word.

"You've got that right." I nodded. All of the sudden, I saw Danny's breath. Just like how you would see someone's breath on a cold winter day, his breath was visible on a warm fall evening. His eye's bugged out.

"Is it that cold out?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Danny hesitated.

"I just saw your breath."

"What? No."

"I know what I saw."

"It's a little bit chilly." He stuttered.

"I'm sort of cold, we should go back inside." Elliot suggested.

"What time is it? Oh god, my parents they've been expecting me home. Elliot can you go up and get my bag for me? I'll meet you at the corner by my house. You're amazing! Bye Alexa!" He started running off until we couldn't see him anymore. In a blink, he was gone, like he had disappeared.

"What? What was that about?" I stood there utterly confused.

Elliot shrugged. "Not sure, but let me get his bag." We both walked quickly upstairs. Elliot grabbed the two backpacks.

"See you tomorrow, Alexa!" He ran out the front door.

What just happened?

**A/N: I chose 'What The Hell' as the chapter song since when I'm driving with friends in the car we always put it on. Sort of a cute little memory. So yeah, when their listening to the radio that song popped up. Review por favor! ;] **


	7. Because You Were Here

_Chapter Seven: _

_ Because You Were Here_

_ Chapter Song: Run by Snow Patrol _

"So Danny, what happened to you last night?" I nonchalantly tried to enter the conversation that he was trying to ignore.

"Huh? Oh right, I totally forgot that my parents wanted me home early last night and yeah, they were totally angry at how late I was." At first, he answered completely startled and confused, but then he was fine once he explained.

"It wasn't even that late." I arched my eyebrows.

"You don't know my parents. They are so strict, right Elliot?"

"Yup, they've got Danny on a tight leash!" He quickly reacted.

"What is he a dog?" I joked.

"No but he's a—"

"I put nitrogen for question three." Danny chimed in. We we're sitting outside a café on the River Street doing our homework. I took a sip of my drink and placed it back onto the small table we worked at. Every few minutes' boats would come chugging by on the water with many people aboard.

"What about question five? I'm still stuck on that one. Elliot, you're the science major, what did you get?" I wondered.

"Charles Law times gravity and pressure." He answered and I wrote down the answer.

"Thank you."

"Danny?" I called, who looked deep into thought.  
"Earth to Danny." I waved a hand from across the table to get his attention.

He took a breath and looked up to me. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, you seem so deep in thought."

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

"Alexa, I'm fine." He jumped. Why did he freak out on me? I was just trying to see if he was okay. I was being a good friend. And besides, whenever someone says their fine, they really aren't. There was something going on with Danny, there was a feeling in side of me that just told me something wasn't right. Elliot kept quiet and then I realized that this was my cue to leave.

"I guess I should get going. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Unfortunately, I had to walk home since Jeremy took the car with him after school.

"Bye, Alexa." Elliot quietly said and went back to reading his science book.

"I'm here if you need to talk." I bent down and quietly told Danny. I walked away; he didn't even say a word.

"Yeah Jeremy, I'll be home soon." I replied over the phone.

"You sure you don't need a ride home?" He asked. I thought about it for a moment.

"No, I need some fresh air. I'll see you in like twenty minutes." I hung up and slid the phone back into my backpack. While walking down the almost empty River Street, I felt a cold breeze blow by me. An uncomfortable feeling took over my body and I looked behind me, only to see nothing. I could barley see the sign of the café I was just at, not to mention Danny and Elliot looked as small as a child from here. _There's nothing there of course not, _I thought. I turned back around but before I could even start walking again, I was hit by something, and swept off my feet. I tiny scream came from my throat. I felt myself being lifted into the air and then my back hit something hard. I was being held against the back wall of an alley. A hundred feet away from me was the area I had been standing moments ago. I was so unaware of my surroundings while I was on the phone; I hadn't even noticed that I was standing next to a creepy alley. Some man was holding my shoulders, and then I noticed my feet weren't on the ground. My backpack was lying halfway between where I was being held and the street that I had been standing on moments ago.

"Let me go!" I screamed before getting a good look at the man. He had black hair, pasty white skin, and black eyes. I could tell he wasn't human just by the way he looked at me. Taking a glance down to his feet, I noticed he didn't have any; he only had a ghost tail. His dark trench coat made him look even more suspicious.

"Why hello." He purred.

"Get away from me." I kicked my legs but they just went right through him. How was this even possible? By the look on his face, he enjoyed watching me freak out.

"I'd rather not." I attempted to get out of his grip, which I quickly learned was useless.

"Why me?" I squirmed.

"Because you were here." He simply answered.

"Please don't hurt me." I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

"Oh sweetie, I'm not going to hurt you, that much, I'm just going to look a bit into your past." He smirked.

"Get away!" I screamed and kicked like a child. My heart was beating erratically, afraid what the ghost man was going to do next. His grip on my shoulders became tighter and his devil black eyes looked into my soft hazel ones. Then all of the sudden, I saw my life flashing before my eyes. And it hurt terribly. My head was aching uncontrollably, I screamed in pain. I shut my eyes tight trying to stop him, but it still was happening. I saw everything that had happened to me. I relived Jeremy and I buying our first car, my first kiss, all of my birthdays, Shylee and my dad's wedding, and just…everything.

"Alexa!" Somewhere far away my name was being called. All I tried to focus on was getting through the pain. I opened my eyes to find my vision out of focus. I could see Danny and Elliot running over to us. I wanted to tell them not to do it, but screams were the only thing coming out of my mouth. The pain was too much to bear. The ghost dropped me and turned around to Danny and Elliot. I fell to my knees in agony, clutching my head. The scenes flashing in my head finally stopped and I began to feel dizzy. I fell onto my side and then onto my back. My head was pounding; I could hear it echoing through my ears, it hurt so badly. My legs were the first to go numb and then my arms. All of the sudden all the noise just stopped and everything was becoming farther and farther away. Like I was on some type of drug, all my senses were just fading away. I could feel someone lift my tilted head off the hard ground and onto something softer. I could feel them caress my cheek and feel my wrist.

"Elliot, do something!" The familiar voice, who I figured out, was Danny, yelled.

"What can I do, it's out of my—" Before Elliot could finish the sentence, everything was black.

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I only own Alexa & Elliot and the other characters except Danny. I don't own Danny Phantom, and never will. Blah, blah, blah, you know the rest, review or else no virtual cookie for you ^.^ **

**^ sorry forgot to do that earlier :P **


	8. I'll Be Waiting In The Pouring Rain

_**Chapter Eight**_

_**I'll Be Waiting In The Pouring Rain**_

_**Chapter Song: People Change by Joel and Luke**_

"Dude, when…tell her…now…I don't know, today…I tried…this is out of hand…what you…whatever." A voice was fading in and out like a radio frequency as I tried my best to regain consciousness. My head was still pounding, but not as bad as it was before. My once numb arms and legs now had feeling in them.

"What am I supposed to do Elliot…not easy…when I'm ready…not yet…. when…going…wake up." I tried to put two and two together in small bits of conversation my mind was processing. I only heard mumbles for the next few minutes; no real words were being processed.

"Did you…that?" More clear words came in.

"Her fingers just moved." Danny's voice slowly faded in as I officially regained consciousness. I moved my fingers and wiggled my toes in my shoes. I groaned a bit from the pain and opened my eyes. Both boys were staring at me. I blinked a couple times.

"Where am I?" I propped myself up on my elbows. I could hear the slight pitter-patter of rain on the roof and window.

"My room." Danny answered.

"Oh god, what happened?" I groaned and rubbed my head.

"You passed out. How are you feeling?"

"My heads killing me. Do you have any Advil?"

"Yeah. Elliot go get the Advil, it's downstairs next to the fridge." He ordered.

"Fine." Elliot huffed and ran out of the room.

"How long have I been out?" I noticed it was dark outside. Danny looked at the clock.

"Three and a half hours."

"Oh my god are you serious? What time is it?"

"About nine."

"My parents are going to kill me. They're going to think I got kidnapped or something."

"Want me to drive you home?" He offered.

"Would you mind?"

"Not at all."

"Thank you." I slowly got up and stumbled over. Before I knew it, Danny was right there holding my arm.

"Thanks." I whispered.

"I left my bag in the alley. We have to—"

"No worries, Elliot grabbed it while we were walking out. It's over on the desk." He pointed. I picked it up and we headed downstairs. Elliot came out of the kitchen when we were both about to open the door and leave. He handed me two pills and a glass filled with water. I downed them and handed Elliot back the glass.

"Dude, do you need me to drive you home or do you want to wait till I'm back?" Danny asked him.

"My dad's picking me up in like five minutes anyways. So I'll see you both tomorrow."

"See you in the morning." I walked out the door with Danny. We quickly ran to the car, trying to avoid the rain as much as possible. Once Danny hopped in the car, he quickly drove out of the driveway. We sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry." Danny spoke up. I had my head pressed against the back of the seat and my eyes closed, but I opened them and looked at him.

"For what?"

"For being a jerk earlier. I've got a lot on my mind and I've been annoyed at everyone. But the thing that happened today was kind of a wake up call I guess."

"Truthfully, are you okay? It's fine, especially the thing that happened tonight, it's not your fault at all. I hate this stupid town with its stupid ghosts. Sometimes I wish I stayed back in California." I sighed. Danny opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He pulled up to my house and stopped right in front of my driveway.

"Do you need to talk about it?" I offered one last time.

He paused for a moment. "No." I grabbed my backpack off the floor.

"This isn't you Danny, I know it's not. There's something eating you up inside and whatever it is you can tell me, I'm here for you. I'm not going to let you down; I'll be there. You can talk to me, but I know your not going to. And by that, you're letting me down. But I'll understand if you're to afraid to even do that. But Danny, just understand that I'm here for you and whatever it is that's killing you, you can just come and talk to me. I know your not alright, you don't have to pretend around me." I got out of the car and stood there holding it open while I stood in the pouring rain.

"This isn't the real you Danny, and whenever your ready to talk, I'll be waiting." I looked him in the eyes and finished my speech. I closed the door behind me and as I walked to the front door, I could feel Danny's eyes glued to my back, watching my every move. Somewhere deep inside of me was aching for Danny to finally confront me right here and now. I could talk and stand with him outside in the pouring rain if it meant that much…I cared that much. The rainwater seeping through my shirt sent shivers down my spine. I opened the unlocked front door and when I turned around, I still saw Danny's car sitting there. I reluctantly shut the door behind me and locked it.

"Alexa?" I heard Shylee call my name.

"Yeah?"

"Did you have fun sweetie?" I walked into the kitchen and saw her cleaning up dinner.

"Did you have fun?"

My eyebrows arched. "Have fun?"

"Yes, at dinner with those boys?" She sounded confused.

"Huh? Oh! Right. Yeah, we had a ton of fun. Got some homework done too." I lied. What did Jeremy tell her?

"That's wonderful. You're full right, you don't need any dinner? I have leftovers if you would like."

"No, I'm fine. By any chance, do you know where Jeremy is?" I asked.

"Yes, he's upstairs in his room. What else is new." She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"Okay, thanks. I'm pretty exhausted so I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night honey. Oh wait—Alexa." She caught me.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you all wet?" She looked at me from head to toe, my clothes were soaked.

"It's pouring outside." I fake laughed.

"Oh wow, I hadn't even noticed. Okay well than, have a good night!" I walked up the stairs, threw my backpack down beside them, and walked into Jeremy's room.

"Jer, what did you tell her?" I whispered and shut the door behind me.

"Where have you been? You told me you we're coming home in twenty minutes, four hours ago."

"I know. I'm sorry I just, we were all just having issues. But I'm fine, thanks for covering."

"Why are you wet?"

"No one in this house realizes it's raining outside." I shook my head.

"Are you okay? You seem kind of upset."

"Complicated issues and a major headache. I think I'll go to bed, see you in the morning." I walked into my room and picked out a purple tank top and stripped pajama pants. All of the sudden a cold breeze rushed by me, I quietly gasped and turned around to see nothing. It was just the air conditioner. I glanced out the window, looking for Danny's car, but it was gone, along with Danny. I frowned and went to go change in the bathroom. After I changed, I went straight to bed and shut off all my lights. I could swear, the second before I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep, I saw the ghost boy leaning against my wall. But it was only for that split second, because then he disappeared. At first I thought he could have been watching me, but then again I was so tried my imagination could have been just going crazy.


	9. Movie Marathon

_**Chapter Nine:**_

_**Movie Marathon**_

_**Chapter Song: For The First Time by The Script**_

Skipping school for the day was possibly one of the best idea's I've ever had. I told my parents that I wasn't feeling to well, so they reluctantly let me stay home. My dad was at the office all day and Shylee was off with him, acting as his assistant. Jeremy was at school so I had the house to myself. I'd spent the day in bed, either reading or sleeping, but mostly sleeping. I looked at the clock and realized I had just awoken from a four-hour nap to the sound of an annoying tapping noise coming from my window. I was too lazy to get up so I just rolled over to the other side to see what it was. There was nothing there, till about half a minute later. Something dark and hard hit my window. My eyes flew open and I sat up and kicked the covers off of me. I walked over to my window to find another object thrown at it, this time I could tell it was a rock. I looked down to the lawn to find two boys standing there. Danny and Elliot that is. Danny threw another stone at my window before I unlocked and opened it.

"If you break my window, you're paying for it. I have a doorbell you know." I yelled down.

"We've been doing this for a good ten minutes, what's taking you so long?" Elliot asked.

"I've been sleeping! You guys woke me up."

"Sorry!" Danny apologized.

"Wait, it's three, aren't you both supposed to be in school?"

"We left. And aren't you supposed to be school?" Danny wondered.

"One day off isn't gonna kill me." I shrugged.

"True." Elliot agreed.

"Front doors open, meet me up here." I shut my window. When passing the mirror, I stopped dead in my tracks. I looked gross. My hair was in a messy ponytail and not to mention I was still in my pajamas. The boys walked into my room.

"Cute pajamas." Danny joked and attempted to hide his laughter.

"Thanks. What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, you weren't here today so we figured something was wrong."

"And we brought movies!" Elliot waved them in the air.

I cocked my head. "So, you came over here to bring movies?"

"That and you know, we could always hang out."

I laughed. "You guys are awesome. DVD players down stairs, lets go." Elliot walked out first and then I was halfway out my door until Danny grabbed my wrist and pulled me back in.

"Yeah?"

"Why weren't you here? Was it because of the thing that happened yesterday?"  
"I just wasn't feeling that well, I'm fine now."

"Headache gone?"

"Yes." I walked out of my room and down the stairs to find Elliot setting up the DVD.

"Need help?" I asked.

"No."

"Okay then, popcorns in the cabinet. I'm gonna go get changed." I walked back up stairs, leaving Danny and Elliot in the living room. Once I got in the bathroom with my change of clothes, I decided to take a quick shower just to freshen up. After five minutes, I got out and changed relatively quickly. I threw a bit a makeup on, a spray or two of perfume, and brushed my hair out.

"God you take long." Elliot said once I was down stairs. The smell of popcorn filled the room.

"Sorry, I took a quick shower! What movie are we watching?" I plopped down on the couch between the two boys. Elliot was holding the popcorn and remote control.

"Inception, Black Swan, and then Shutter Island." Danny said.

"That's like four hours of Leonardo DiCaprio alone. So that's a total of like six hours of movies? I say lets go for it." I smiled.

Almost five and a half hours later, we we're in the middle of watching Shutter Island. It was almost nine o'clock and my family had came home over the past few hours. My parents were happy I had started to feel better and they were even happier that I had friends to care enough to come over. Thankfully, Shylee and my dad went up to bed an hour ago, leaving us to do our own thing. Jeremy was still out, apparently over a friend's house. Now, I was on the floor leaning against the house while Elliot was sprawled out on the couch with Danny. Then, I felt Danny shift uncomfortably and then stand up.

"Where are you going?" I wondered.

"Bathroom." He walked away.

"We're not stopping the movie for you!" I called. Elliot laughed and we continued to watch the movie for another fifteen minutes before I paused it.

"What are you doing?" he wondered.

"Seeing if Danny's okay." I got off the floor and walked to the bathroom before Elliot tried to stop me.

I knocked on the door. "Danny, you're missing the movie." There was no answer so I knocked again.

"Danny?" I called in but not one noise was coming from the bathroom. I grabbed the doorknob, twisted it, and it easily opened, but no one was in there. My eyebrows furrowed then I walked back to Elliot.

"Danny's gone." I alerted.

"What? Oh he's probably outside or something." He shrugged. Without another word, I walked to the front door opened it, and slammed it behind me. It was silent besides the crickets chirping. His car was still here, so where could he be? I searched around the house for ten minutes and he still wasn't anywhere. Eventually Elliot came out and helped me look, even though he was useless.

"Where could he have gone?" I turned to Elliot, who was leaning against the front door.

"Where could who have gone?" Danny's voice appeared from behind me.

I spun around on my heel. "Where have you been? I thought you went to the bathroom?"

"I did, but then my parents called and they've been yelling at me about something."

"Where did you go?"

"I walked down the street." He pointed down the road.

"Oh."

"Yeah, sorry that took so long. But my parents need me home. So I'll have to see you on Monday."

"Oh, okay. Do you have your keys?"

"Yeah."

"I need the movies." Elliot commented.

"You can get them on Monday." Danny offered and he walked to the car.

"Bye guys." I watched them pull away then led myself into the house.

**A/N: REVIEW and get a cookie ;) **

**Disclaimer: don't own danny phantom, only alexa, Jeremy, elliot, etc! **


	10. More Than A Want, A Need

**_Chapter Ten_**

**_More Than A Want, A Need_**

**_Chapter Song: Secrets by OneRepublic_**

"Where were you on Friday?" Jenna asked me after we walked out of math class together.

"I wasn't feeling to well, my parents let me stay home."

"Lucky you, got to miss the Chemistry pop quiz."

"Well that's convenient."

"Very."

"So, what did you do this weekend?" I asked her.

"I went to some party, which I was going to invite you too and tell you about on Friday, but you weren't here."

"You could have called."

"I got my phone taken away."

"Why?"

"Grades."

"My parents are on the verge of that. My C minus in Spanish isn't fitting their potential." I laughed.

"Looks like they're alike. I forgot to ask, what did you do this weekend?"

"Basically had a movie marathon for six hours straight with Danny and Elliot."

"Be careful with them, you know they're kind of freaks…"

"They're not freaks, they are perfectly normal." I defended.

"Danny's kind of hot, not gonna lie. But still, I heard they're really weird."

"Hot? I guess a little. But, for the weird part, well, that's what Scott and his whole group says. Yeah I know they aren't popular or the big cool football players in the school, but they aren't freaks, I swear. I don't even care if people think I myself am a freak for hanging out with them. Who the hell cares, if they're nice, I like them." I laughed.

"Do you like Danny?"

"As a best friend."

"As more than a friend." She asked. I thought about it for a second. Could I see Danny and me being a couple? He would never go for me, he thought of me as just a friend, so that would be a no.

"No."

"Oh well, I should totally set you up with my neighbor, he's kind of hot, he just broke up with his girlfriend and—"

"Jenna, I don't need to be set up with anyone." I laughed.

"Fine, he's all mine then." She winked.

"I'll see you after lunch." I walked away from her and over to Elliot.

"Hey."

"Where's Danny?"

"Maybe he already went to lunch."

"True. Here are the movies, by the way." I unzipped my backpack and took out the four movies."

"Thank you." He threw them in his bag and we walked to lunch to find Danny nowhere in sight.

"So did you do that Chemistry paper yet?"

"Of course, I did it Sunday morning. Why?" He wondered.

"I kind of didn't finish it, and it's complicated. Want to do it for me?" I shyly asked.

"Alexa, I'm sure you can do—"

"Please Elliot! Come on I have a seventy-five in the class and I need to raise it up. Your perfect at chemistry, don't you want to be like a chemist or something? It's right up your alley!" I interrupted.

"I want to be a doctor, not a chemist."

"See, that's almost the same thing! You have an amazing grade in the class. Please." I pleaded.

"Fine, fine. I'll _help_ you, I wont do it all for you though."

"Thank you so much!" I said, he returned a smile. All of the sudden Danny came over and sat at the table without saying a word. He looked tired and all messed up.

"Danny, what happened to you?" His hair was messed up and was sticking in all different directions. There was a small rip in his t-shirt and there was dirt on his jeans.

"Uh, I fell."

I laughed. "Well someone's clumsy. How did you manage to do that?"

"You know, just tripped over some freshman's rolling back pack."

"Then why do you have dirt on your jeans?" I noticed.

"I was outside when it happened. So what's up with you guys?" He scowled and changed the subject.

"Okay then." I quietly sighed.

"What did you guys do for the rest of the weekend? Elliot asked.

"Homework."

"I went to some park, slept a little, and went out to eat with Jeremy."

"What park?"

"I don't know, its something with an F. Frosted? Formstead?"

"Forsyth?"

"That's it."

"Oh, that's a nice place. We should all go there some time." Elliot suggested.

"Yeah it really was a nice place. And yeah, we should. It would be fun." I smiled and looked to Danny, who only gave a fake smile as a reply. Whatever was bothering him was bothering me, since I was aching to know what it was. There was something going on with Danny, and I really wanted to find out what. It was more than a want, it was a need.

**(A/N: sorry I haven't updated in a long time! I've been busy with my other stories (check them out!) and lots and lots of school work. Sorry for such the short chapter but believe me, it's worth it because the next chapter is going to be intense! There's going to be a lot of drama in one chapter. I already wrote the next chapter so if you want me to post it, I need 3 or more reviews! Im not getting as much as I hoped for so come on guys, 3 REVIEWS IS NOT THAT MUCH. Lol okay have a good day!) **


	11. Secrets Revealed

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_**Secrets Revealed**_

_**Chapter Song: Wires by Athlete**_

It was a Sunday afternoon and I comfortably sat on my bed listening to my iPod and finishing up my homework when my phone started to ring.

"Hello?" I answered, forgetting to look at the caller ID.

"Hey." Danny plainly replied over the phone.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing, can we meet up somewhere so we can talk?" He sounded serious.

"Yeah, sure. Can you give me like twenty minutes?" I looked at the clock.

"Ok. Is the park okay?" His nervous voice got me concerned.

"Yeah, the parks fine. Danny, are you okay?" I finally asked.

It took him a second to reply. "I'll see you in a few." The phone went dead. My eyebrows rose and fell once I looked at the dark screen on my phone to see that he hung up. I plopped the phone down on my bed and got up to get ready. I fixed my makeup and brushed out my hair. I wonder what Danny had to tell me, and why was it so important? Why couldn't he just tell me over the phone? And most importantly, why did he sound so nervous? I threw on a pair of my black sneakers and walked out of my room.

"Jeremy, I need the keys." I called but there was no answer.

"Jer?" I yelled but again, there was no answer. I opened his door but his room was dark with no one in it.

"Shylee? Dad?" I called out but then I noticed that I was talking to myself. No one was home. Of course. When I went downstairs, the first thing I did was I checked for any cars. There was none in the driveway or the garage. Everyone was gone, and now I had to walk. _Great_, I sarcastically thought. I shut the door behind me and went straight to the park to see what Danny had to tell me. Once I was outside, I realized I had forgotten my phone on the bed. I was in to much of a rush to go get it.

I walked on the sidewalk; the big oak tree's being my cover and temporary shade. Taking a deep breath of the air, it relaxed me and took my mind off how nervous I was about Danny. During the whole walk, I had been deep in my thoughts. They were consuming me, eating away at my brain. Turning from the sidewalk and onto the grass, I headed towards the street to cross over to the park. I sashayed my way across the street until I heard someone scream my name and then screeching tires and an engine roaring. Had someone been calling me this whole time? Was I too caught up in my thoughts to pay attention?

"Alexa, watch out!" The familiar voice screamed. I turned on my heel to see a dark blue sports car speeding towards me. I gasped, in a matter of seconds I was going to be run down. In half a second, I saw the ghost boy flying towards me, fly into me and grab me. My hazy vision watched as part of his ghost tail get hit by the car, but while we were tumbling and flying backwards, the sports car just sped away and out of sight. We rolled over, stumbled, and flew straight down onto the ground. We both hit with a thud and I could already tell that wherever I fell on would be bruised in the morning. It took a few seconds for me to actually regain my thoughts and get myself up to see if the boy was okay, I was hurting and my hand felt like it was on fire. I took a glance at my left hand to see blood on my hand and a gash across it. A groan escaped the ghost boy's mouth; I had to get up to see if he was okay. He did save my life, the least I could do was check up on him. But, the real question I wanted to know was how did he know my name? Before the car almost hit me, he screamed Alexa...how did he know my name? Soon enough, I sat up to see the boy lying on the floor not moving. His eyes were closed and his hair was messed up. Suddenly, a white ring appeared around his body. The ring split in two and they both went their separate ways: one going up towards his head and one going down towards his feet. It was transforming him into a human. The moment that he transformed, my heart dropped. The ghost boy was…Danny. My best friend was the ghost boy? The ghost boy or Danny or whoever he even was blinked his eyes and opened them. His eyes, they were blue again; they weren't a piercing green anymore. It was Danny's eye color. His hair, which was once white, was now raven black. It really was Danny.

"Oh my god." I whispered covering my mouth with my right hand, which thankfully wasn't cut. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked at me confused why I was so afraid and upset. How could this be happening? Was this even real? For a split second I questioned my stability. Danny broke the silence, disrupting my thoughts. My heart was pounding in my chest and I could hear it echoing in my ears.

"Your hand's bleeding." He informed me. At this point, I really didn't care if it was or not. Realizing that I was on the verge of tears and a breakdown, Danny tried to figure out what was happening. Then he looked down to his body, realizing he wasn't in his stupid ghost costume.

"I'm sorry." He started.

"Your, you're the ghost boy? Wha—how—what?" I was at a loss for words. I was speechless. What was I supposed to say? I stood up feeling a little lightheaded. I could feel tears flowing down my face.

"You're a ghost?" I said in disbelief with tears impairing my vision.

"Alexa, please let me explain." I looked at him with a broken heart and I began backing up. Danny was the ghost that Jenna had talked about? He was the ghost who had hurt all those innocent people and other ghosts? He was the ghost that never saved me from that ghost attack?

"Alexa, wait." He knew I was about to run from him. I shook my head with tears flowing down my face, and I ran as far as I could from him.

"Alexa!" He yelled my name but I ignored it, I kept running far away from him without even looking back. He called my name multiple times and didn't even bother running—flying after me. My trust towards him was broken off and my friendship had broken along with that. I ran all the way home, thankfully not having any cars in the driveway. Running inside, I locked the door behind me. I was hurt; my heart had just broken into a thousand pieces. I broke down right then and there, I slid down to the floor, propping my back against the front door and I cried my eyes out.

**(A/N PLEASE READ: there you go! Alexa now knows Danny's secret! Do you think she'll ever trust or talk to him again? What do you thinks going to happen? Feel free and please share your thoughts! And if I were you, I would listen to the song for this chapter. It's my all time favorite song, it's a master piece and I thought it would be perfect for this chapter! This chapter was so fun to right, I had a blast doing it. I took it upon myself to think of what someone would do in Alexa's position—her emotions, thoughts, feelings. But anyways, here's the IMPORTANT PART of this note I'm giving you all. #1) I want 3 or more reviews so then I'll upload the next chapter, which is extremely dramatic! Already wrote it ;) and #2) Would you like me to go this chapter in Danny's point of view and see how he sees and thinks out the situation? I have a ton of idea's for that so please review or inbox me if you want it or not! (I would prefer inbox) Okay well anyways, have a nice day!) **


	12. Broken Friendship

_**Chapter Twelve Part 1**_

_**Broken Friendship**_

_**Chapter Song: Losing Your Memory by Ryan Star**_

_**(The Day Before)**_

_**Danny's POV**_

I could do it. Just call her Danny, call her. This wasn't supposed to be this hard. I had been having an internal fight with myself whether or not I should tell Alexa the truth or not. If I had any chance at a relationship with her, the secret had to give. Her phone number had been up on my screen for twenty minutes and I didn't have the courage to call her. What if she thought I was a freak? Maybe it would have been a better time to tell her after Pyschinise, the past and future telling ghost, had attacked her. In one quick click, I pressed the button on my phone and called her. I swear my heart stopped for a moment. In the middle of the third ring, she picked up. I stopped breathing.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey." I said, biting down on my lip. My hands were shaking and I didn't know what to say.

"Hey, what's up?" Her cheery voice almost made me want to smile, until I remembered that she could hate me in a matter of minutes.

"Nothing, can we meet up somewhere so we can talk?" I got to the point quickly.

"Yeah, sure. Can you give me like twenty minutes."

"Ok. Is the park okay?" My voice sounded to nervous, she would know something was up.

"Yeah, it's fine. Danny, are you okay?" She asked. I mentally slapped myself.

"I'll see you in a few." I hung up. I didn't bother answering her question; I wasn't going to lie to her one more time. She deserved to know the truth.

"I'm going ghost!" I said and I felt the familiar sensation go through out my body. My black sneakers turned into white boots and my jeans and simple t-shirt were now a black and white body suit. My black hair was now white and my blue eyes were electric green. I was my alter ego, Danny Phantom. I phased out of the house and flew above the houses and to the park. I took my time flying there, I was in no rush. That was until I saw a dark blue sports care speeding down the street. It was going at least seventy-five miles per hour, and on a small road? Where were the police when you needed them? Then she appeared. Alexa was slowly crossing the street and was in the path of the speeding sports car. As quickly as I could, I flew closer to the ground.

"Alexa, watch out!" I yelled. She turned on her heel, looked at me, then looked at the sports car coming right for her. I could hear her faintly gasp and then I flew in and knocked into her. But I grabbed her in time so she was safe, that was the most important part. My ghost tail was hit though, it hurt at first but after a few seconds it was fine. We were tumbling backwards and then we finally landed. Alexa was out of my grip she fell along with me. I landed on the hard grassy ground and I swear I blanked out for a minute. A moan escaped my mouth and I knew I had to check if she was okay. I had changed my ghost tail into normal legs while we were tumbling backwards, and they were hurting from the impact with the car. They tingled and ached.

"Oh my god." I heard her whisper. I opened my eyes and propped myself on my elbows to find Alexa in hysterics. Her right hand was covering her mouth and once she put it down, it was shaking. What was wrong with her? She looked absolutely terrified.

"Your hand's bleeding." I told her, realizing there was a gash across her left hand. I looked at her closely; she was on the verge of tears. Her eyes were filled with water. What was going on with her? Then I caught a glimpse of my shoes. They were black…I had switched back!

"I'm sorry." A hard lump formed in my throat.

"You're a ghost…you're the ghost boy? Wha—how—what?" She began crying. Tears were streaming down her face. She unsteadily stood up.

"You're a ghost?" My heart sank. I felt terrible I hadn't told her sooner.

"Aelxa, please let me explain." I pleaded. She gave me a look that made my heart shatter. I've never seen her cry before, and it was heart breaking. I saw her motions, she started to back up.

"Alexa, wait." I knew she was going to run. And in a matter of seconds, she did.

"Alexa!" I yelled. But she kept running far away from me without looking back. She was running from me, the ghost boy. How could I let her get away? I needed to talk to her about this. I needed her not to hate me. This turned out ever worse than I thought it would. I leaned myself against a nearby tree trunk and slid down it. I too was crying. I felt a few tears slip down my cheek. I had just lost Alexa, forever.

I just sat there, on the ground for hours. I buried my head into my legs and I just stayed still. For hours. My phone had kept on ringing, but I eventually shut it off, getting extremely irritated with the sound of it buzzing. I knew Alexa wasn't going to call or text me, so I didn't both leaving it on. Elliot was the only one who was calling me, but for once in my life, I didn't feel like talking to him. Sitting there in the silence made me realize what a mess my life had become since I had changed. This stupid secret was ruining everything. I'd lost her. I'd hurt her.

"Hey Danny! Why have you been ignoring my phone calls?" Elliot appeared and ran down the sidewalk towards me. I couldn't speak to him, I couldn't speak to anyone. I just reburied my head into my lap.

"Dude, what's wrong?" He noticed something was up.

"Are you crying?"

I hesitated to speak. "I lost her, Elliot. I lost her."

"Lost who? What are you talking about?"

"I don't know what to do. I hurt her. I need to go home Elliot. I'll see you tomorrow." I sighed.

"I'm going ghost." I flatly said, not caring if anyone around me saw, but for my luck there was no one even around.

"Wait Danny! What happened?" Elliot said but I ignored him and flew off back home. This was my entire fault.

Chapter Twelve Part 2:

Broken Friendship

Chapter Song: Impossible by Shontelle

_**Alexa's POV**_

_**Current Day**_

Another night spent staring at the walls, trying to convince myself that I'm okay. But the truth is, I know I'm not. If I lay down it will only make me more restless so I'll usually wear myself out. Regularly, I'd search the Internet, listen to my music, talk to people, read, or even, god forbid, do my homework. But no. Tonight was different; I couldn't do any of that. I just laid on my bed in silence. Another insomniac night was spent fighting my own racing thoughts because somehow I can't just lay my head down and sleep like a normal person. Well, after what happened today I didn't know if I could ever sleep again. My mind would forbid me, the thoughts kept me thinking every second of the night. After I finished crying downstairs yesterday, I locked myself in my room for the day. I told my parents I wasn't feeling well and I didn't even have dinner. My face had still been red and puffy from crying so I didn't need questions about why I was crying. so I avoided contact with anyone, including my brother. That was the easiest solution. How could Danny hurt me like this? He had the biggest secret in the world and this is how he revealed it to me. He's hurt people before and these innocent ghosts. He didn't even save me from that ghost attack and he was right there, watching it all unfold. He could have saved me, I wouldn't have had passed out or had that massive headache that lasted for a day. How could he keep something like this from me? I couldn't tell if I was more hurt than terrified. All this time I was hanging out with an evil half ghost and it just killed me inside. Now today I had to face him at school. I can't bare the fact to see him. What if he hurts me because I ran away from him? Truthfully, I was terrified. The numbers on the clock kept passing. One minute it was two thirty in the morning, the next it was three forty-five, then after it could be five twenty. Time was flying and sleeping was inevitable. I was staring at the ceiling all night. That's all I did. Now, it was six thirty in the morning and I was staring at my blank ceiling once again. What was there to do? Getting up for the day was probably a sensible choice. Planning out how to ignore Danny and Elliot was going to be complicated. As I took my shower I thought of the ways that I could keep my distance from both of them. I knew Elliot wasn't involved with this ghost situation between Danny and I, but he still kept it from me. That made me all the more pissed off. I just wasn't going to talk to either of them, that was the plan. I got out of the shower, dried myself off, and blow-dried my hair in a matter of thirty minutes. I changed into my dark blue jeans and dark red long sleeved V-neck. I applied my eyeliner and mascara and some foundation to cover up the black rings under my eyes. When I opened the bathroom door, I found Jeremy standing there shocked with his hand out.

"What are you doing?" I alertedly asked.

"I was just about to open the door but apparently you were in here. How long have you been up?"

"Umm…" I quickly tried to find a lie but Jeremy stopped me less than a second later.

"By the look on your face, I'm going to say all night." He saw right through me.

"Yeah, okay the bathrooms all yours." I walked back to my room and shut the door behind me. I threw on my leather jacket and tied my shoes before I went down stairs for breakfast.

"Why were you up all night? I heard you tossing and turning at like one or something." Asked Jeremy, who was driving to school. I faintly heard the radio playing, but I was to tired to even figure out what song it was.

"I had a lot on my mind."

"Like…" He tried to pull the answer out of me, but I wasn't going to tell him the full truth.

"Just a fight with Danny and now I guess Elliot."

"About what?"

I paused. "It's complicated."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." I sighed.

"Okay, whatever."

"I'm sorry Jer, it's just to complicated for me to understand." I shook my head.

"It's fine, hopefully you'll get over it soon."

"I hope. Thanks for being…nice about it." I searched for the correct word to use.

He laughed. "Your welcome. Tell anyone and I'll kill you."

"Good to know." He parked the car and we both got out. I grabbed my backpack and headed towards first period, which I was dreading. Danny hadn't arrived yet, thankfully. But the bell had just rung so it was possible he'd either gotten in a ghost fight and was late because of that, or maybe he wasn't even coming. My second thought was my preferred choice but my first thought was the rational one.

"Take your seats!" The teacher announced with an annoyed tone in his voice. I threw my backpack onto the floor and waited for the teacher to start talking. All the students took their seats and the room became silent as the teacher began giving up stares.

"First of all, get out your section three reviews so we can make sure that they are accurate. Reminder, they will be due on Friday! No exceptions to tardy work. Take out a piece of paper and pencil or pen so we can do our weekly warm up. But this time, it's due tomorrow rather then at the end of class. Write down the question on the board and then we'll begin our lesson." He paused a moment to let students start writing. When mostly everyone's writing utensils were down, he began to talk again. On the bright side, still no sight of Danny, which made my Monday even better.

"Topic for today—George Washington and his accomplishments through out his lifetime. Now George Washington was our first president, which you all know. And if you don't, you all need to go back into first grade. Many may notice that he's also on the back of the quarter. How do—" Mr. Henaley stopped when the classroom door opened. Danny walked in with his backpack slung over one shoulder. His hair was messed up, was it possible he was 'fighting' with another ghost? The chances weren't slim.

"Mr. Taylor! You're late!"

"I'm sorry." Danny rubbed the back of his neck.

"Take a seat." Danny nodded his head and walked back towards me. I could hear him sit down and throw his backpack onto the table. I couldn't help feeling hatred inside for him, for all the lies he told me and for what he had done. He was unreal; he was a ghost for crying out loud! I droned out Mr. Henaley's voice as I focused more on Danny. The problem was, I was trying to ignore him, not pay even more attention to him. A tap on my shoulder sent shivers down my spine. He had to stop talking to me.

"Alexa" He whispered. I didn't move an inch. I stayed exactly where I was for another minute until he began saying my name and putting a hand on my shoulder. I hesitated turning around, but I did and harshly answered.

"Stop talking to me. I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear anything. No excuses no nothing. Just leave me alone." Apparently, I whispered a little to loudly because half the class was looking at me, including the teacher. The students looked at me with wide eyes, possibly shocked that I had just basically yelled at my so-called best friend.

"Miss Pennington, Mr. Taylor! Is there a problem here?" Mr. Henaley loudly spoke.

"No, not anymore." I went back to writing my notes and paying attention to the teacher…if it was even possible. Well, it wasn't possible. I spent all class doodling on my paper. I was furious, but thankfully the bell rang. The second it rang I quickly got up, with the rest of the students, and packed my bag.

"Alexa, wait!" Danny started up again.

"Danny, you heard what I said. I don't want to hear it. If you really care, just leave me alone…for good." I deeply looked him in his sorrow filled eyes. He could tell I was hurt inside, and I knew he cared. But, I walked out of the room, leaving him there alone. While walking to Spanish, I heard someone calling my name. If this was Danny again I was going to kill him. I silently groaned and turned around I saw Elliot running towards me. I rolled my eyes and just began to walk again.

"Hey, Alexa, wait up!" he called over the crowd. He grabbed my arm to hold me back.

"What?" I snapped. He let go of my arm.

"Jeez, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed. I must have called you ten times last night."

"Stop calling me, I just don't want to talk to you." I said with a straight face. I was never this mean to anybody, but they had to get the message. I started to walk away but he stopped me again.

"What's wrong?"

"Why don't you ask Danny." I suggested.

"I would but he's been really depressed apparently, there's something going on with him. I basically found him crying at the park yesterday. I was going to ask you." Truthfully, it killed me inside to hear this. I bit my lip. My heart sank but then I had to remember about what he was and what he had did, and the secret he had kept from me. He was dangerous.

"Whatever." I said.

"What's up with you?"

What's up with me? What's up with you? I know about Danny's secret, so you can just stop pretending." I said so only Elliot could hear me.

"You know? He looked at me dumbfounded.

"Unfortunately." I hissed.

"How did you find out?"

"By accident."

"He didn't straight out tell you? What actually ha—"

"Elliot, I don't want to talk to either of you, ever again. I want both of you to just leave me alone. Just pretend we never even met." I walked away, leaving him standing there completely surprised by what I had just told him. All I wanted right now was to go home and cry.


	13. The Letter

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

_**The Letter**_

_**Chapter Song: I Was Wrong by Sleepstar**_

_**Alexa's Point of View**_

Jeremy pulled into the driveway after a long day of school. I had been silent the whole car ride, while he made failed attempts to talk to me. He turned off the radio then the car. He got out and grabbed his bag from the back but I just sat in the lifeless car. Moments later I got out and grabbed my bag with me. I slowly walked up to the front door but Jeremy, who was standing in front of me, stopped me. He reached his arms out and wrapped them around me, giving me one of the best sister-brother moments we've ever had. He knew I was upset and he was there for me, helping me along the way.

"I'm posotive it'll get better." He let go of the embrace.

"It's not like that this time, Jer."

"That bad, huh?"

"Terrible."

"What did they do? Lie? Start rumors?"

"All I'm gonna say is that they kept a huge secret from me."

"Does the secret matter that much?"

"It's bigger than you can ever imagine, Jeremy." We both walked into the house. Shylee was folding some laundry and spotted me before I had time to quickly slip away.

"Lex, I never got to ask you. Are you feeling better?" I sighed when Shylee called me the nickname she just loved.

"Much better."

"Are you okay? You don't look so good."

"Just having some issues at school, that's all."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No, Don't take it personally, I won't even talk to Jeremy about it."

"Sweat heart, bottling it up wont help!"

"Neither will telling anyone. I'm sorry Shylee."

"Your brother, your father, and I are here if you need us. We support you on whatever is going on."

"Thanks. If you don't mind I'm going to go start on some homework."

"That's fine, dear. But hold on one second." She stopped me.

"Yes?"

"What happened to your hand? I forgot to ask you this morning. Why is it all bandaged up?" I winced and thought of a lie.

"I fell yesterday and I cut my hand. It's okay now, it stopped bleeding."

"Neosporin's in my bathroom cabinet, feel free to use it."

"I will." I walked up to my room.

I spent half the night looking out my window and half the night studying. I wasn't putting a full one hundred percent into my work, so I had given up for the night. I changed into some pajama pants and a t-shirt and brushed my teeth. After I finished getting myself ready for bed, I shut off the overhead lights and just left on the lamp beside my bed. I picked out a random book that was placed on my shelf and got into bed. Maybe reading would help me fall asleep; my dad always said that helped him. My thoughts needed to come off Danny and the supernatural events that had taken place. Twenty-three pages, that's all I got to before I felt my lids growing heavy. My head slumped down half against my arm and half against my pillow. I wanted to squeeze my eyes tighter and shut out any remaining bit of life and all possible glimpses of the earth coming in. But thankfully, I finally did. I felt the book, still in my hand, but I was to tired to move it. From there, I fell into an amazing sleep.

_**Danny's Point of View**_

The things Alexa said to me today, they hurt. I wanted to explain to her that everything would have been alright, even though I knew it wasn't. But she wont let me even talk to her. She told Elliot never to talk to her again either. What was I supposed to do? Force her to talk to me? I couldn't make her do that; I would probably scare her to death before that happened. But the one thing I made sure I did was write a note to her. It was in my hand right now, sealed in an envelope that had her name written on it. And where was I with this important letter. I was outside Alexa's window right now. Of course I was invisible and of course I knew this was creepy, but I wanted to make sure that she had this note. I watched her grab a pair of sweat pants and a shirt and go into the hall then five minutes later come out all changed. She shut off the main lights in the room and picked out a book from her shelves. Alexa got herself into bed, putting the covers up to her waist and began reading. Page after page she turned I just kept staring at her. The image of her crying was still stuck in my mind and I wanted to erase it forever. Something inside me cracked while I watched her cry. To her, there was nothing good in me. I was only a monster in her eyes. A ghostly monster, a creature from the supernatural world. My focus went back to Alexa, as I watched her slowly fall asleep with the book still in her hand. Once she was out, the book dropped from her grip. Carefully, I phased myself in not wanting to make any noise to disturb her. She looked so peaceful when she slept. I placed the envelope down next to her hand with the book in it and I turned back into my human form. I stroked her face a couple of times and moved a couple of pieces of stray hair out of it. When I felt her start to stir, I quickly turned myself back into a ghost and turned invisible. She moved her head and her eyes flashed open milliseconds after I turned invisible. She blinked a couple of times and groggily sat up. She looked at the book that was lying on the bed and put it on the nightstand. Then she saw the note. She cautiously looked at it and pulled her hair behind her ears. I promised to myself the second after she finished reading it, I would leave…even if I didn't want to.

_**Alexa's Point Of View**_

The reason I woke up was because I felt something touch my face. I don't know what it was, since my room was empty, but it must have been my imagination. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair. I looked to my left; to find the book I was reading closed and lying on my bed. I placed it on the nightstand and then I turned back to see a white envelope on my bed. It had my name written in script on it. I pulled a few pieces of hair behind my ears and opened the envelope carefully. This envelope wasn't here when I fell asleep, did Jeremy or Shylee or my dad come in while I was sleeping? I pulled out the piece of loose-leaf paper inside and began reading. My heart stopped at the first line.

_Dear Alexa,_

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. For all the lies, all the secrets, and all the trouble I caused you. It's my fault, I should have told you earlier. I should have told you after Pyschinise, the ghost who can see your past and future, attacked you. And the reason he attacked you was because he saw you with me. It's because you were there. I just thought you should know the real reason since it was my entire fault. I'm begging you to let me explain everything. Everything that Jenna Kaplan said about me is false. I'm not evil, I'm good. I swear. I'm sorry that you had to find out like this. To tell you the truth, we were meeting up at the park so I could tell you. I debated with myself whether or not to call you for twenty minutes. I weighed out the consequences, the possibilities of you either accepting it or being scared of me, I was stuck in a complicated situation that I couldn't get out of. I am who I am, and unfortunately I can't change that. If I could, I would. But for now, there's no way I can. Please Alexa, just let me explain everything. I'm begging you. And please, don't tell anybody. I need this secret safe with you, Elliot, and me. I don't need more people knowing. I knew this was the only was to get you to listen to me, I hope you fully read and understand this letter. I would never go into your house like this without you knowing, but this was an emergency. It called for desperate measures, and I know you wouldn't accept the letter from me during school. Even if you don't forgive me for what I've done, please give me time to explain. Please, Alexa. _

_Sincerely, _

Danny

Shivers went up and down my spine as I read over the note. Danny had just been in my room. A ghost had just been in my room. He had seen me sleeping, and he came into my house without anyone knowing. I gulped and once again ran my fingers through my hair and rubbed the back of my neck. I skimmed over the letter one last time before I sealed it back into the original envelope. I kicked off the covers and went to the large dresser parallel to my bed. I placed the note on top of it and looked at the 'Alexa' in neat script. He wasn't going to give up till he talked to me about this. But even after I read the note, I still didn't want to hear from Danny. I was still scared of him and nothing would change that. Nothing. I walked back into bed and put the covers over me once again, turned my lamp off, and tried to fall back into that same sleep I was in before. Trying to not think about Danny was almost impossible, but I tried thinking good and happy thoughts.

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews guys! I enjoy reviews bad or good, I like to get peoples opinions on my writing. Thanks so much! Enjoy this chapter; next one will be up tomorrow. Just letting a little insight on it—its extreamly intense! You know the deal- please review, I would really like you guys too. I seem to be finding that a lot of you are favoriting the story and alerting it, but if you do that please find the time to review too. Well, bye for now!**

**P.S- It's Friday, gotta get down on Friday! **

** Lol jk its Saturday but that's been in my head all week -.- save me! Oh Rebecca Black, your songs are amazing. **


	14. The Truth Behind The Lies

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

_**The Truth Behind The Lies**_

_**Chapter Song: Love The Way You Lie Part II By Rihanna feat. Eminem**_

Three weeks have past; a never ending three weeks had gone by. For those past three weeks, I've been eating lunch with either my brother or Jenna and her friends. I've kept my distance from Danny and Elliot, but they still have been trying to make contact with me. Ignoring their daily phone calls, text, voicemails, and not to mention the notes they passed me during class was a routine now. Their harassment to try to get me to speak lightened up this week, thank God. Last Tuesday, they both just gave up on talking to me. So our short lived friendship had finally fizzled out. On a happier note, it was a gorgeous Friday afternoon and school had just ended. I quickly packed up my belongings, making sure my timing was correct, I left the room right before Danny did. Jenna messaged me to meet her by her locker, so I agreed. I walked through the swarms of people and eventually found Jenna.

"Hey!" Jenna greeted. I leaned myself against the wall of lockers.

"What's up?" I wondered. Jenna and I had gotten closer the past few weeks. She was my closest friend now…she was my only friend now.

"Nothing much, just happy it's the weekend. Do you want to come with me to my aunts today? I know it sounds lame but my mom's making me go visit my grandparents in Atlanta for the weekend. Want to come? She said I could bring a friend with me. The thought of a five hour car ride with my sister makes me sick." She chuckled and shut her locker door.

"Atlanta? I doubt my dad or Shylee will let me go. But the offer sounds amazing." I raved. Truth was, Shylee would let me go in a heartbeat and somehow she would convince my dad too, but I just wanted to stay home for the weekend.

"Damn it! Are you sure you cant convince them? I know it doesn't sound fun, but it's Atlanta! We can go shopping and go out to eat and things like that." She pushed open the doors to the outside of the school and walked down the few stairs.

"Jenna, believe me it sounds fun. I do not doubt that. But, I know they aren't to happy with my grades and I know they want me to study. I'm sorry. I'll make sure to ask them though! It cant hurt. When are you leaving?"

"Like as soon as I get home. Twenty or maybe thirty minutes? I have to go pick up my sister and my suitcase. I know its last minute, my parents just told me."

"Thirty minutes? I'm pretty sure they wont let me go on a spur of the moment trip to Atlanta. Sorry, Jenna."

"Don't worry, it's okay! I should have told you earlier, my bad. But I'll see you Monday, okay?"

"Of course. Have fun! Feel free to message me if you get bored."

"Oh be expecting messages then. Thanks!" We went our separate ways to our cars. I dialed Jeremy since I didn't see him in the car, and I had the keys.

"Hello?" He picked up and I could hear a few people laughing and talking in the background.

"Where are you?"

"Jeez, hold on, I'm with a friend. I'll be at the car in a few minutes."

"Fine. Your driving, I'm to tired to."

"Whatever." He hung up. I slid the phone into my pocket and walked to the car with the jingling keys in my hand. I opened the passenger door and threw my backpack into the back seat but before I could sit myself down, a familiar voice spoke my name. I jumped, slamming the car door shut by accident, and turned around.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I crossed my arms.

"No, I'm sorry." Elliot apologized.

"We're you following me? Why the hell would you sneak up on me like that?"

"We have to talk." He said, ignoring my question. I rolled my eyes; I thought they stopped bugging me about this already!

"I already told you I'm done talking to you guys. That's what the past three weeks have been about."

"But you have to talk to Danny. And I'm making this clear, I don't know why your not talking to me. I had nothing to do with this!"

"First of all, I don't want to talk to Danny. Second of all, you hid the secret from me. Therefore, your part of the lies. Danny's dangerous and you let me be around him?"

"Since when is Danny dangerous?"

"He hurts people, Elliot! And those innocent ghosts too! I didn't even believe in ghosts until this. Jenna talked to me about how her friend got hurt because of 'The Ghost Boy' or 'The Phantom', what do you expect me to believe? I don't want to be in danger, okay?"

Elliot didn't speak for a couple of moments. "He's not dangerous. All those rumors that you've heard aren't true. I know you don't want to talk to him but you have to! He saved your life! Does that classify as dangerous? Saving your life?"

"It was a one time thing, he was there at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"It wasn't a one time thing, he cares about you."

"Well guess what, I don't care bout him. I'm tired of all the secrets and lies."

"We we're trying to protect you. Nobody besides me and you know about him. His parents don't even know. But see, we're talking! We're getting places!"

"We're done with this conversation." I ended it, pissed off at Elliot. I walked around the car to the drivers seat.

"Alexa, you have to talk to him!"

"I don't have to do anything." I opened he car door.

"Come on! He save your life! He told me what happened; please give us time to explain. He had never hurt you before, why would he hurt you now?" Elliot pleaded. I put the key into the ignition and started the car. I slammed the door shoot and backed out of the parking space. Elliot stood there running his fingers through his hair, frustrated at not knowing what to do. I drove to the front of the school where I saw Jeremy walking out of the building with some guy his age. He looked at me confused and mouthed something to his friend that I couldn't hear. He jogged to the car and looked at me when I got in.

"I thought you didn't want to drive?"

"I'll deal with it." I said, clenching my teeth. He shrugged and shut the door.

Lying on my bed staring at my ceiling was basically how my Friday night was going to go. I drowned out the rest of the world by putting headphones in my ears and turning the volume all the way up on my music. I didn't need to be bothered with anyone at the moment. For a brief second, I checked the clock to find it was already five fifteen. The rumble coming from my stomach reminded me I needed to eat. Shylee and my dad had gone out on a date night, so that left Jeremy and I alone. Taking the headphones out of my ears and pausing the music, I hopped off my bed and walked to Jeremy's room.

"Jeremy, want to go out to dinner?" I knocked on the door. There was no reply.

"Jer." I knocked. After a moment of no answers, I opened his door to find a black and empty room. The only light coming room emitted from the window. I moaned and walked back to my room and peered out the window, his car wasn't in the driveway. Running my fingers through my hair, I let out a frustrated sigh. He goes out way to much, I thought. I had to get out and get fresh air, I was getting sick of being in the house already. A walk was in dire need. I walked from my window to my closet, opening it and pulling out my black jacket. Hanging the hanger back up, I closed the door, turned around having the intentions of going to go get my phone off the counter, but instead I gasped. Standing in front of me was Danny, in his ghost form.

"Oh my god." I gasped and backed up, hitting my back on the closet door.

"We have to talk." At this point, it was obvious I didn't have a choice in this decision.

"How did you get in here?" I yelled.

"I phased in." He simply replied without a smile or frown on his face.

"Get away from me!" I threatened and ran towards my door. The second I tried to open it; Danny was in back of me, holding it shut so I couldn't get out. How did he get ahead of me?

"How did you do that?" A lump formed in my throat, making it hard to even speak. I was scared.

"Alexa, please stop." He pleaded and grabbed my hand.

"Danny, let me go!" I yelled.

"We need to talk. You have to talk to me."

"All those people hurt, they we're from you!"

"No they weren't! I'm trying to protect everyone!" His voice rose. My body was shaking in fear.

"Please don't hurt me." I whispered with tears streaming down my face.

"I swear I'm not going to hurt you, just please let me explain." He took his hand away from holding the door shut. I stiffened my position and looked up to him. I immediately thought of the letter he wrote me, which was still sitting on my dresser. Then I thought of what Elliot had said and then back to what Jenna had said. I was to confused.

"I promise." He assured. I hesitated before I moved an inch. Taking a good look at Danny from head to toe, I cautiously and reluctantly moved over to my bed and sat at the end, with my legs hanging over. There was no way I would get out of talking to Danny. I pointed to my dresser, motioning for Danny to stand there. Quickly, I wiped off the left over tears that were on my face. All of the sudden, a white ring formed around his body, and then split into two. Less than two seconds later, he was back to the normal Danny Taylor I had known. I tried to seem not as freaked out about him changing as I actually was, but he noticed the expression on my face.

"Start explaining." I demanded, still terrified of being in the same room as him. I knew that if I didn't talk to him now, he wasn't going to let me leave this room.

"What do you want to know?" He leaned against the white wood dresser.

"How did it happen?"

"How did I become like this?" He asked.

"Yes."

"It happened in the summer. Elliot and I were messing around and we we're bored one afternoon. We decided instead of going to the park to go play football, or even going to the lake to swim, we would just go on a walk. We went walking the neighborhood and then we stopped in front of a house down on Fourteenth Street that a family named the Fenton's used to live. The house burned down a year ago from an explosion in the basement. The crazy scientist dad died but thankfully the mom and kids they had we're all right. So, after the explosion the family packed up what ever else they had, which wasn't much, and they left. No one knows where they went but that's besides the point. The house didn't exactly burn down to the ground, but it's in pretty bad shape. Anyways, Elliot and I we're being stupid and we decided to take a look inside the house. We snuck in through the front door and went on a little adventure. Then, we went down to the basement. There was this creepy metal machine down there that we both had no clue what it was. And the strangest part was, why it hadn't melted or blown up with the explosion. It looked like it was in pretty bad shape, but still. Then, I happened to take a look inside of it, I tripped on something, which caused a big chain of events, and then the rest was according to Elliot. There was a huge flash of light and a mini explosion. But there wasn't a fire this time. Apparently, the whole room shook and glasses broke and it was pretty bad. Well, in that mini explosion, I passed out. Elliot had to drag me out of the machine and into the backyard where I didn't wake up for a good hour. When I woke up, I was lying in the back with Elliot standing over me. The second I was awake I could tell something was wrong, I didn't feel the same as I did. Elliot begged me to go to the hospital but I refused. Then I felt this weird sensation come over me, and Elliot started backing up and looking at me strangely. I turned into my ghost form and then we learned about my powers soon after that. Remember how you saw my breath that night? It's like ghost radar, it goes off every time a ghost is near. We call it my ghost sense. I'm a halfa." He stopped.

"A halfa?"

"It's a half ghost, half human. A powerful ghost I met a long time ago told me that there was more, but not many left because they are hunted. They can become powerful."

"What powers do you have?"

"Flying, invisibility, compulsion, intangibility, overshadowing, and a few I just haven't figured out yet."

"How do you figure you're trying to protect everyone if you're just hurting them."

"Other ghosts have worse intentions, I'm not evil. I'm far from it. I've tried to save people when other ghosts attack, I don't want to hurt anyone. I'm trying to save everyone."

"You better be telling the truth."

"Why wouldn't I? I wouldn't lie to you Alexa. And even if I was lying, do you think for a minute Elliot would be able to stay with some evil ghosts? He's scared of his own shadow." He had a good point. Suddenly, my memory went back to the day I got attacked. I quietly gasped, remembering when that night I fell asleep, I could have sworn I saw the ghost boy leaning against my wall.

"You were in my room that night, weren't you?"

"What night?"

"When you dropped me off after I passed out."

Danny hesitated. "How did you know?"

"The second I closed my eyes I thought I saw the ghost boy, but I thought I was just over tired. Why were you in my room? How did you even get in, I didn't see your car, it wasn't on the street anymore."

"I parked my car down the street, went ghost, and phased into your room and I was invisible the whole time. I knew you felt something to because you turned around. But when you went to sleep, I made myself visible and stayed there for a while."

"Why were you in my room?" I repeated.

"I wanted to make sure you we're okay. You were passed out for hours, I was freaking out. You looked like you were in so much pain."

"That's what you two were talking about." I whispered.

"What?"

"When I was regaining consciousness, I kept hearing bit's of conversation and Elliot was saying something I could barley understands. And then you said it wasn't the right time to tell and not now or something like that. But it's all coming together now…" My voice trailed off.

"He was trying, more like begging, for me to tell you what I was and what actually happened. He thought you had the right to know."

"And I did. What actually happened that afternoon? Maybe I would be more understanding if you saved me.

"When you we're on the floor, I quickly went ghost and pulled out the thermos and I got him in there. Then by the time I got over to you, you were passed out."

"The thermos? Like a soup thermos?"

"Elliot named it, not my idea. It's a canister that looks like a thermos that catches ghosts inside them and sends them back into this ghost world that they come from."

"Your parents didn't know I was there that night, did they?"

"They only new Elliot was there. They couldn't have known you were here, they would have questioned why you were passed out."

"How did you take me home?" I picked you up, turned invisible, flew you to my car, and then put you in the back seat. Once we were home I phased us through the walls so my parents didn't see you.

"And the letter?"

"I see you still have it." He looked back onto the dresser.

"That's not my question. If it was so important why didn't you just sneak up on me that night instead of coming into my room while I was sleeping?"

"I was giving you time to cool down."

"Mailing its always an option."

"Mail takes to long." Danny took out his phone and began typing a message, then moments later he shoved it back into his pocket.

"I have something to show you." Danny stated.

"What is it?" I stayed still on my bed.

"Please trust me, just come with me. I promise nothing bad will happen, give me a chance." He pleaded. After hearing his story I didn't trust him one hundred percent, but I trusted him more than I did before. I was still scared though.

"An hour. That's it." I got up and walked to the door. Behind me, a bright flash lit up the whole room and I looked back to find Danny in his ghost form.

"I'll fly us." He offered.

"I'm walking." I made it clear.

"Do you have any flash lights?" He wondered.

"Flash lights? Why?"

"By the time we finish, it's going to get dark and we need them where were going."

"In the garage." I alerted. He quickly flew out and back into the room with two flashlights in his hands, and from there we walked out of the house, Danny quickly turning back into his human form.

**A/N: Well there we go! Alexa knows the truth behind Danny's transformation. Where do you think Danny's going to take her? Who was texting Danny? And what do you think they want? Review please! **


	15. The Journal

**A/N: Really guys? No reviews for chapter 14? Well I'm only being nice and uploading this chapter since I haven't uploaded in a long time. Well here you are and please review this time!**

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

_**The Journal**_

_**Chapter Song: Secrets by OneRepublic**_

"Flying is more fun than walking, you know." We had been walking for a good fifteen minutes down winding sidewalks and different streets.

"I still don't trust you, so we're walking." I flatly answered.

"Do you trust me more than you did an hour ago?" He half smiled, but I refused to answer. I gave him a glare in return and he ignored it.

"Here we are." We stopped next to an old and familiar house. Elliot ran over to us.

"You got her to come! Dude, nice going."

"Don't push your luck, Elliot." I warned.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"This house? Why are we here?"

"This is where it all happened."

"This is the house?"

"Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"I've seen this house before. The day after I moved here. I got lost on my way downtown and this is the neighborhood I turned around in. I stopped the car and saw the house and I kept wondering what happened. Well, now I know."

"Wow that's weird, but let's go." Danny led the way.

"What? Where are we going now?"

"Inside." He simply said. The three of us heading up the pathway leading to the creepy home. Overgrown weeds surrounded us and they reached up to my knees. The front door was broken down and the wood on it had cracks in all different directions. Danny took off one of the large pieces of wood so we had an entrance. The two boys went in first and then I made my way through. A devastated living room filled with cobwebs, dust, ash, and destroyed belongings sat in front of us. It was the perfect sign on a haunted house. The place looked like it had been abandoned for years. The walls were cracked and the window had a layer of dust over it so you couldn't see out. Some of the glass was busted and tiny shards lay on the dirt floor. The brown couch was burnt to a crisp and the stuffing was coming out of it. Wooden planks boarded up some of the windows. From where I was standing, I had a perfect view of the kitchen. The table and chairs were knocked over to the side and left untouched for years. The cupboards had scorch marks on them, and some were lying on the floor.

I looked around in astonishment; this place must have been gorgeous before it was burnt down. Burnt canvas with frames surrounding them were broken and spread across the living room floor. A lamp was on its side, broken and burned. I couldn't believe where I was standing, I couldn't believe someone had died in this house.

"Unbelievable, right?" One of them asked me, but I was to busy looking around. I nodded and then I heard the boys walk off. I turned around and they walked down a hallway and looked into a room that didn't have a door on it. There were hinges on the doorframe, but no door.

"Are you coming?" Danny looked at me.

"Where?"

"To the basement."

"Are there ghosts down there?"

"None other than me. My ghost sense would go off if so."

"Fine." I walked to the area they were standing. There were stairs going all the way down into a pitch-black room. We turned our flashlights on and pointed them down to the room. I cautiously walked down, holding the rail while I went. Elliot grabbed a lantern before he had walked down, and he turned it on, making it a little bit easier to see. Danny pointed his flashlights towards a huge silver machine.

"That's what changed me. Now you see I'm not lying. This is what killed Mr. Fenton and changed me into a ghost." He said. I pointed the flashlight around the room and saw broken beakers, science equipment, and damaged trays. The walls were cracking and there was a metal bookcase on the other side of the wall. It was bent in all different shapes because the fire had damaged it. Whatever books had been on there, were burned with no remains.

"I believe you." I admitted.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Thank you." Danny had a faint smile on his face.

"Friends again?" Elliot interrupted.

I sighed. "Yeah, friends again."

"Awesome!" Elliot grabbed Danny and me and formed a hug.

"Can we go now? This place is creepy." Elliot asked. I pointed my flash light other places in the room. A shiny object caught my eye near the bookcase.

"Yeah. Alexa, ready to go?" Danny asked me. But I didn't answer immediately. I was to busy looking at the object near the bookcase.

"Alexa?"

"Yeah, in a second." I walked away from him and around the machine that had changed him into a ghost. I kneeled down on my knees to find what was catching my eye, a silver safe box. It had a dial on it, and it was perfectly fine. No damage was done to it. I tried twisting the dial all different ways, but the safe wouldn't open.

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you use your powers to get through metal?"

"Yeah, easily."

"Come here." I ordered and I heard his foot steps come up to me.

"A safe? Why do you want to get in that?"

"It's a fire proof safe. Clearly that Mr. Fenton guy wanted to put something valuable in it. Just incase something like that explosion happened, the valuable would have been saved. And a safe is a perfect hiding spot for something that someone doesn't want anyone else to see."

"She has a good point." Elliot said, from the other side of the room.

"Just use the phasing power and open the lock." I told him.

"Fine." He kneeled down with me and made his arm turn invisible. He closed his eyes and played with the lock inside the safe. All of the sudden, a clicking noise alerted all three of us and the lock was opened. Danny took his arm out and it turned visible again and I was the one who was eager to see if there was anything inside. I opened the small door to the safe and pointed my flashlight inside it. A medium sized object wrapped in brown velour sat in the back of the safe. I reached all the way in the back for it and grabbed it out. The object was bounded with brown rawhide laces, a knot keeping the package contained.

"What is it?" Elliot broke the silence.

"I don't know." I examined the object. I set it down on the floor and untied the knot. Setting the rawhide aside, I then unfolded the velour wrapped around the mysterious object and then it revealed a leather journal. A braided cord was tied around the journal, keeping it closed.

"It's a journal." I alerted the boys while I untied the cord so I could open the book. My voice echoed in the silent room. I held my flashlight up so I could see what was written in it.

"A journal? That's the big deal? He hid a journal. That's —" The first journal entry was from…oh my god.

"From 1897." I interrupted Elliot and he stood there with his mouth agape.

"That's a hundred and fourteen years ago!"

"It's about ghosts." I flipped through the pages, seeing sketches of ghosts and machinery. The handwriting was written in ink, it was slightly smudged but readable. The journal had belonged to a man named Thomas-James Fenton. At least, that was what it said on the first page.

"Lets go back to my house and read it." Danny offered.

"Okay." I agreed, still in shock of my discovery. I had just discovered a one hundred and fourteen year old journal, oh my god.


	16. Looks Like Someone Got a Homecoming Date

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

_**Looks Like Someone's Got a Homecoming Date**_

_**Chapter Song: Someone To Save You by OneRepublic**_

You know that accomplishing feeling you get when you do something good for your advantage behind someone's back? Or how about when you find something you weren't supposed to, a birthday present hidden in your moms closet behind her winter boots or maybe even your sisters diary, filled with juicy secrets about her boyfriend. It was a feeling almost to good to be true. Almost scary.

"It's everything you need to know about ghosts, I can't believe this." Skimming the pages of the journal, I carefully made sure not to rip them. It was like a holy bible. If I ripped one, I felt like an evil demon would come out and eat me or something around those guidelines. Rational, right? Lying on my back with my head hanging off the foot of Elliots bed, legs straight out, giggling my feet up and down, I continued to read.

"Does it say anything important?" Danny asked. I sat up, crossing my legs Indian style, as we used to say in Kindergarten.

"I'd have to seriously read it to find out. But this Thomas-James guy, he was a ghost himself. It explains how we got turned and stuff about his powers. He even drew diagrams, man this guy was into his journals."

"Here, let me see." He outreached his hand, I willingly handed it over.

"Do you know how much of a find this is? We should see lit, or give it to the government! It's worth thousands of dollars. We can all split it. Even you, 'I-don't-want-to-be-part-of-this' girl." The unusually quiet Elliot spoke up

"No!" Danny disagreed.

"Yeah, and what do you think they'll say when we hand it over. Where'd you kids get it, maybe? Sure, we can easily tell them we were trespassing on a burned down property because our friend here's a ghost. Why not just write 'I'm a ghost' on Danny's forehead? Seriously Elliot, the government's smarter than that. We'll get questioned, people will get suspicious, we'll get watched, etcetera, etcetera."

"True, but come on, tell me you wouldn't want a wad of cash in your hand right now."

"Elliot, that's not the point," I sighed, "it would expose Danny and we wouldn't have the book anymore. It's important to his…ghost life." I paused, still not used to the word ghost. It was still shocking relating Danny to a ghost.

"Fine, fine." He held his hands up as if he was caught red handed.

"How did this Thomas-James get turned? What'd say?" Elliot wondered. Quickly skimming through the many entries, Danny eventually gave up looking for the specific one and handed the book back to me. It took me three flips before I found it. The slightly smudged, runny, and script handwriting made it hard to read off of the decaying yellowed paper.

"Uh, here we go. Dear Diary, you would never believe what had happen to me on last evening of the ninteenth of January. While making attempts to improve my machine for the undead, ghosts, I have been working on with Elijah, something grave happened. I had been inside it, innocently working on fixing some of the wiring that had been mistakenly wronged, and something went wrong. Elijah wasn't with me thankfully; he had been at his abode with Mary and baby Elizabeth, but for the record that is not of importance. I connected to wires together, conjoining them, when there was a flash of bright light. Something had happened, but I had not a clue of what. That was the moment I was sure I had died, I felt my soul leave. There was an eternal pain stinging through my body, through my veins, like I had been infused with poison. The burning pain alone made me want to die, but I thought death was easier than this. The one problem, I did not die. As you could see, I'm still alive…but not technically. I'm not sure how to explain this, but I'm a half ghost, a monster. How was this possible? I can change into a ghost, I can become invisible, I can fly, go through walls. I can shoot things out of my hand. The absolute worst of all of them, I can make people do what I want. If I concentrate hard enough, I can do it. I'm a monster. And when I change, I don't keep my normal day clothes on. I have this black and white jumpsuit with white boots and white gloves. They appear on my body when I change. My light brown hair turns a silvery white. My brown eyes, they turn an electric green. After running multiple tests on my self, I took a vile of blood and at the bottom of the vile, there's a green substance. It's called ectoplasm, which all ghosts have in their bodies. Whatever went wrong had infused me with ectoplasm, which would explain the burning and the ghost part of me coming alive, making it stay in my body instead of releasing that and my soul along with it. I'd rather die that become a monster like myself at the moment. I swear never to let Elijah find out, he would report it to the town, and I would be dead sincerely this time. I have to get out of town unsuspicious, but how? I'm a monster, help me." While reading the entry, I had quickly took a few glimpses at Danny's face. When Thomas-James had mentioned being a monster, and the pain he was in, and more comments on being a monster, Danny's face grew grim and sad. My mind was absolutely blown, transforming was that painful. Now, looking at Danny's face was killing me. He sat there, silent. Scared. You could hear a pin drop, that's how quiet the room was. Between the awkward silence, I fiddled with my ring, staring down at the navy blue bedding the whole time. Elliot, not knowing what to say for the first time in his life, did the same. Then, like the flick of a switch, we all realized something…Danny died.

"I died." Danny said, louder than a whisper but quieter than a normal speaking tone. He blinked a couple of times, taking in all the new information into his brain. Both Elliot and my head snapped up and looked at him, starring down at the comforter also, with his lips parted, acting like he was going to speak. But he didn't.

"I think that's enough for today," I closed the journal and the silence began again. Handing it to Elliot, he shook his head, pushing it back to me.

"You take it."

"You found it, keep it. I doubt Danny wants it." Elliot commented.

"I gotta go, I'll see you guys later." Danny got off the bed and began walking out of the room. I sighed, feeling bad for Danny. I grabbed the journal, and got up too.

"I should go too. I'll walk you out." And I silently walked outside with Danny. Then the outside turned to the next street, and the silence grew tenser and more awkward. But I had to know. I stopped walking, but he continued a few feet before noticing I stopped.

"Was it that painful, Danny?" I bit my lip. I had to know. His head slowly nodded, then he parted his lips to talk.

"He described it perfectly." His voice cracked when he eyed the book.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

"I died." Danny's voice faded, still in shock.

"You technically didn't." The attempt to lighten up his mood failed tremendously.

"You read the journal yourself, he died but the ectoplasm made him stay in his body. By a chance if that didn't happen, I wouldn't be alive right now! I would be lying somewhere in the ground! Dead! Because of one stupid mistake I made, I died!" His eyes began to water and a tear escaped. Quickly, he wiped it away.

"Okay, you made a stupid mistake! Everyone does. Everyone gets to make mistakes. But you know what everyone else doesn't get? A second chance to live. Yes, you would have been dead right now but you got a second chance at life. You were kept alive for a reason. And whether or not that reasons unclear or not to you, you were kept alive. I don't see why you wouldn't appreciate that. Yes Danny, I get that you died. When I realized that I felt sick. But thankfully you're here, standing in front of me. And whenever I die, I sure as hell would love to have a second chance too. I don't know about you, but I'm glad you were the one to get it." I yelled, then noticing no one was around us, thankfully the streets were empty. I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding. You could cut the tension with a knife. It was that thick. He looked down to the cement sidewalk and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath.

"God forbid." I could hear him whisper under his breath, "thank you." He looked up to me with glassy eyes. Shaking my head, I walked and wrapped my arms around him. He leaned his head in and buried it in my shirt. I rubbed a hand up and down his back, comforting him thinking that I'd never know what he said 'God forbid' to: whether the fact that he got a second chance at life or that I would die.

The proceeded days of school wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I'd got back to sitting at lunch with Danny and Elliot, and stopped being lonesome and sitting with my brother in his car. There were very little ghost attacks the past few days. People would say either that or how strange Mr. Froth, the English teacher, and Mrs. Vanderez, the Spanish teacher, were acting was the biggest thing out of the ordinary. Rumor was Mrs. Carla Vanderez was having an affair with Mr. Robert Froth. Apparently she was leaving her 'super model material' husband for the English teacher. But those were rumors. The same rumors spoken from the same mouths who said Danny Phantom was evil. But who was stupid enough to listen to rumors that weren't true? So I was included in the hundreds of people who did listen to those rumors. And I believed them. Some of them, thanks to Danny. Speaking of Danny, he had gotten over his mini break down right after we hugged he pulled himself together and we said our goodbyes then went our separate ways. To think of all these awkward but touching moments we've had together, you'd think I've known him since I was born. It's hard to believe I've known him for a few months now. But this secret bound us all together, so Danny, Elliot, and I now had to stick together no matter what. I had to realize that eventually, as much as I didn't want to at first.

"So I see you're back with techno geek and Mr. Secretive." Jenna awkwardly brought up, twisting a strand of Strawberry blonde hair around her perfectly manicured finger. With her other hand, she tapped her 'Yodel Me On My Cell' painted nails on the scratched up school desk. She traced a marking drawn in pen with her pointer finger.

"We made up."

"So what, is this like a threesome now? You and the freaky soul-brothers?"

"No, but if I'm going to be friends with anyone I'm going to have to deal with fights we have. It happens to anyone."

"Sure. So are you taking one of the threesome to homecoming?"

"Jenna, stop calling us a threesome, "I laughed," but Homecoming? Do we even have one of those here?"

"Of course we do, silly! Ugh, SHS throws the best homecomings. I used to be on the committee, but I haven't done my part this year." She said a bit loud, the math teacher turned to us, giving us the be-quiet-and-do-your-work look. Jenna mouthed a 'sorry' to him.

"And when would this homecoming be?"

"The twenty third, which is a Saturday. It's a week and a half from now. We usually do it closer to Halloween so we can just combine our Halloween and homecoming together, but it didn't work out this year. Which I'm thankful for, because dressing up in a costume for homecoming is so tacky. Last year it was actually on Halloween, I went as a princess, in a homecoming dress. I thought that one out well. I've already got my dress. It's the cutest thing ever. It's by that designer Jovani, the colors like this gorgeous olive color, it's strapless and its got a bustier bodice with gold sequins all over it. It's short and it has all that stuff underneath to make it look really big. I think the sales woman called it a ball gown skirt? I don't know, I'm not good at describing dresses." She laughed.

"Sounds really pretty." I commented.

"It is. The color sounds really ugly, but it's gorgeous. And besides, the dress makes my boobs look great."

"No, I like those dark green shades and stuff like that. Find any shoes yet?"

"I actually found a pair of knock off Valentino Bow Pumps. Originally they're like eight hundred dollars and they come in this Sand color, but I found them in black for like one fifty. Not that bad, right? They look totally real, that's the best part. I can score you a pair if you want."

"Thanks, but I'm good. But that's pretty good, way to go."

"So, what do you think you're wearing?"

"To homecoming? Oh no, Jenna, I don't even think I'm going."

"Oh come on, it's so fun! You can be my date, I don't have one this year." She scowled.

"I'm sure, you'll find you. But I don't think so, it's not even that I don't have a date, I've never really been to one."

"You can bring one of the boys," She winked, "you've never been to homecoming?"

"I went to Prom last year if that counts. Homecomings at my old school sucked, so I didn't bother going."

"Ooh, prom. Come on, talked to the guys, I'm sure one of them will want to go."

"Jenna, that's not the point. Date or not, I'm just not sure…" I paused, thinking about it for a moment, "fine, I'll go." Sighing, I finally agreed.

"Yay!" Jenna squealed, attracting attention from students in a four desk radius, and Mr. Montgomery, the math teacher sipping away a blue mug filled with piping hot coffee. He put the mug back down on his desk, and got up from his rolling chair. The cushions made a noise, filling back up with air as he stood up and walked to our row.

"Are you girls finished?" He crossed his arms.

"With our math problems? No, but we're close!" Jenna assured without looking down to her mostly blank piece of paper.

"Less talking, more math." He shuffled his way back to his desk. Until he sat down again, Jenna began talking once more.

"So now we got to get you shoes and a dress. I'm going to get my nails done after school that Friday, you should come. I'm getting my hair done at Belle Cheveux, that salon downtown on Saturday afternoon. I could drive you down there." She quietly made sure no one else besides the people close to us could hear.

"I brought a few dresses with me from back home, same with the shoes. If I don't like any of them, I'll go buy something. But, I guess I can get my nails done with you. Hair, I can do myself."

"Perfect. This is going to be so exciting. By the way, during lunch can you help me finish putting up the posters? Remember how I said I really wasn't doing my part in homecoming committee? They're making me work during lunch."

Not noticing the posters that have been up the past few days has been impracticable. Maybe it was because there was to much on my mind? Homecoming court posters lined the walls of Grove High. 'Vote for Rebecca for Homecoming Princess' or 'Vote for Kaylee D. for Homecoming Queen. She's the best of the best!' small white or neon posters would say. A picture of each girl would be in between the squiggly handwriting. All the girls running were cheerleaders. It was interesting to notice there weren't half as many posters for homecoming king or prince on the walls. Didn't people put this much effort for prom king and queen? I thought that was the only royal role that mattered in high school. Apparently not. A Night In The Stars was the schools homecoming theme of the year. Poorly drawn stars were all over the poster along with glitter and sparkles over doing the shine element. Jenna held the tape while I mounded the posters to the in dire need of a paint job walls.

"Thanks again for helping me with this, I couldn't do it alone."

"It's no problem." I shrugged, going back to the work until minutes later, Jenna spoke up again.

"Damn, we're running out of tape. I'm going to go get more, okay?" Handing me the last few pieces of the clear, adhesive, Duct tape, she ran off to find another roll. Moving to the next wall to put posters on, a chill went down my spine. Snapping around to see if Danny was there, I just found an empty hallway. I shrugged it off, and then held another poster under my arm, while I cut the end of the tape with a purple scissor. I slid the empty roll around my hand, acting as a bracelet, and taped the poster to the wall. Taking the tape bracelet off my wrist, I managed to juggle holding multiple posters, scissors, and markers.

"You don't exactly look like the homecoming type." A dark voice of a man said from behind me. I turned around and dropped every object in my hand. The dark voice came from not a man, but a ghost. The scissors landed on the floor with a clank. Thankfully they stayed closed.

"Not exactly." I shyly admitted, fiddling for my phone in my back pocket. The ghost looked more like a man than a ghost, but I could see through him and to the lockers on the other side. So therefore, he's a ghost. He had brown, short, curly, hair with the same brown eyes. He was bigger than a normal human. Sliding my phone out of my back pocket, the ghost noticed and eyed it.

"What are you gonna do? Message your friends saying that there's a ghost?" He taunted. My body stood still, slightly afraid to move.

"No, I think I should get going." I managed to say. But when I walked away it, leaving the materials behind, I broke out into a run. Moments later I was pinned against the wall, being held by my neck. Pain. That's the first thing I felt. I tried breathing through my nose, since the ghost held my throat, I couldn't breath through my mouth.

"Well aren't you a pretty thing. Now I know you know a lot about ghosts. Maybe a little to much." He squeezed harder and I let out a yelp. Dangling above the ground, my feet became numb.

"What do you want?" My words came out in chokes.

"You see, I like playing games. Especially with girls who are human, non ghost doppelgangers, and who know about ghosts." Okay so I was human, who was I hurting? Doppelganger? What was he talking about? How did he know I knew about ghosts?

"What are you talking about?" If I could scream I would. But the most that was coming out of my mouth was a whisper.

"Don't play dumb with me. But my game just got a little easier," he looked at the homecoming poster, "I'll see you there." He flashed an evil smile. Wasn't this the time he was supposed to just flash out? Or disappear, or whatever ghosts did?

"Oh, and if you suddenly decide you'll be a no show, you're homecoming party will turn into a funeral. For everyone." With one last smile, he disappeared. When he had vanished, I dropped to the ground on all fours, gasping for air. The hallways were empty, not a student or teacher in sight. No one saw or heard any of that. I scurried myself up and ran to the cafeteria as fast as I could. This was not the kind of homecoming date I wanted. A ghost that threatened to kill everyone in my school. Great date I have.

Bursting through the doors of the cafeteria, I presented myself in a matter of nothing was wrong. It was like the previous events just didn't happen. The lunchroom smelled of two day old macaroni and cheese and overly fried French fries. It was almost to loud to even hear yourself think. Almost everyone in the room was either laughing or talking. Each large, round, table sat a group of students. One table there would be the jocks with a few cheerleaders by their sides, another table would retain the nerds from computer club. All the way at the other end of the lunchroom sat Danny and Elliot. Elliot was on his PDA, as usual, and Danny was typing on his iPhone then put it in his pocket. Back in my back jean pocket, my phone beeped alerting that I had a text message. Knowing it was Danny, I didn't bother taking it out and I walked towards them in a calm matter, even though I was freaking out on the inside.

"Found her." I heard Elliot say once I was a few feet away from the table. Danny turned his body halfway around and saw me and began to speak.

"Oh there you are, I just texted y—"

"We need to talk. Outside. Now." I interrupted him, grabbing his arm and pulling him up. He grabbed his backpack, confused. Once he got the message something was wrong, I didn't have to pull him along, he walked with me. Elliot followed with his backpack on his back and PDA in hand. Walking out the back double doors of the lunchroom, we eventually found a picnic table and sat at it. An oak tree shaded us; with Spanish moss hanging down it's large branches. Thankfully most of the picnic tables were outside the lunchroom. A lot of people were sitting at them, but the once I chose was farther away from everyone else. No one knows how it got over here, but occasionally people would come to sit here. There were carvings of names that were here in the table. On the side of the table there was something written in pen, but it was to warn off to read.

"Can you tell us what's wrong now?"

"Do you know something I don't?" I asked.

"What?"

"Huh?" Elliot's eyes bugged out.

"What's going on? Where have you been?" Danny shifted on the bench.

"I was helping Jenna put up homecoming posters when she left to go get more tape and a ghost came up behind me. He had curly brown hair and brown eyes, ring a bell? Any of them?"

"That could be any ghost. But that doesn't matter at the moment. What happened? Why is your neck red?" He asked.

"My necks red?" I grabbed Elliots phone lying on the table and used it as a mirror. My neck was a bit red, redder than skin should be, and that's why Danny commented. The redder areas were where the ghosts fingers would have been when he was holding me around my throat, "man. He left a mark."

"He touched you?"

"More like forcefully grabbed me and pinned me against a wall! What do you know about me being a human doppelganger? And why the guy liked to 'play games' with them."

"A human doppel-what?" Danny sat there, confused.

"Doppelganger, a twin that looks the exact same as the other, a replica." Elliot defined.

"I know nothing, he might have been bluffing. But are you okay?"

"I'm fine now, but there's something else that might be a problem."

"What?" The two boys alertely asked.

"He's going to homecoming. And he said if I decided not to show up…he would kill everyone." Suddenly, I felt as if there was a lump in my throat. My nerves suddenly broke and I realized how dangerous this was. There was no way I was going to homecoming. He would probably kill me! But then if I didn't go, he would kill everyone else. Wasn't this supposed to be Danny's problem? He was the half ghost. There is no way I'm going to that homecoming dance.

"Well, looks like we're going to homecoming." Danny's eyebrows rose. Elliot looked at him in shock. Looks like we were going to homecoming, and there was no way out of it.

**A/N: I know! Kill me! I'm such a bad updater with this story. Thank you so much to Alex Leep for messaging me wondering when I would update. I totally lost faith in this story since a few people emailed me saying they didn't like it but you know what, haters gonna hate :P What really matters is that I like it and that the people that do like it, like it. Thanks so much to everyone who does review and love this story! I'm going to be updating regularly now every few days. I've already written most of the next chapters so if I do get any reviewers, please know itll be up soon. You guys are the best and for whoever stayed with me, thank you once again! Oh, and if you wonder about this whole doppelganger/twin thing, I plan to have that come alive further into the story. But for the next few chapters it will come up! I've also been thinking about making a sequal to this (even though I'm no where near done with this story!) LOL, I'm rambling on, so see ya soon! **

**Later :] **

**- Elena **


	17. There's No Place Like Homecoming

_**Chapter Seventeen:**_

_**There's No Place Like Homecoming**_

_**Chapter Song: Obsession by Sky Ferreira**_

Today was the day, the day that all girls dreamed out. Homecoming. Homecoming was basically a night for the girls to spend all day dressing up, getting their nails and hair done, and then finally dancing all night long with their friends and boyfriends. But instead, my night was going to consist of catching some ghost. Let me just put it out there, Danny owes me big time. I didn't want to go, I was to scared. After school a week and a half ago, we all sat in Danny's room while his parents weren't home discussing what we we're going to do.

"No way, this is my first real homecoming. I'm either not going or going, but not to go play cat and mouse with some ghost."

"Fine, don't go. Just let the whole student body at Grove get killed." Elliot sat in a chair next to Danny's bed.

"Why am I the key in this?" I yelled at Elliot.

"No one knows!"

"Guys! Calm down." Danny yelled.

"Fine." We both pouted.

"We need to get him tonight."

"What do I have to do?" I put my hands together and nervously laced my fingers together.

"Let us take you to the dance. We'll see when he shows up."

"It's a bad idea." Elliot disagreed.

"Till we get him. She isn't safe. No one is. It's worth a shot." Danny offered a perfectly good plan to kill the guy. But the flaw in his perfect plan was that anyone could get killed. Including him or me. I sighed, thinking about it.

"I'll do it" I sighed once more, "I'll be with the two of you. Hopefully I'll be safe."

"Are you sure? This could be dangerous." Elliot thought.

"He knows what she looks like and he knows where she is most of the day. He'll kill other people if she doesn't go. You know what we have to do."

"And you have no idea who this is?" I asked Danny.

"No."

"How are we going to take him down?"

"Alexa has to stay with us. Once we get him in somewhere, I'll go ghost and get rid of him."

"And how do you plan to do that? What if we get separated?"

"Alexa wont get separated from us. But for the both of us, I think I might have a little something."

Shaking myself out of my flashback, I noticed I was staring at my reflection in the mirror. My smile wasn't evident; nervousness was spread across my face. My furrowed brow made it obvious how stressed and concerned I was. On the night of homecoming, you would usually think questions like what kind of music will they play? Will I get kissed? How many boys will dance with me? Or maybe, how many people are going to get drunk at the after party at the Bohemian hotel at Riverfront. I was thinking about how many people would get hurt. And thinking questions like how easy will this be? Will someone die tonight? I wrapped my newly manicured fingers around the handle and kept my thumb on the clasp. I ended up going to get my nails done with Jenna yesterday. And as I figured, she did end up getting a date. That was what she mostly talked about when we were sitting next to each other while the to manicurists did our nails. I ended up choosing a classy French Manicure while Jenna ended up choosing a gold glitter polish to match her dress. We decided not to go to the homecoming game last night since we both weren't into football, but apparently we won. Go team. Taking the strand of hair off the burning rod, I finished my hair and shut off the iron, unplugging it from the wall. My checklist was mostly finished. Make up, check; nails, check; hair, check. All that was left was just to put my dress and shoes on. Checking the clock, I realized that the red numbers blinked 'seven fifteen'. The dance started fifteen minutes ago, Danny and Elliot were late. But since I was running behind, it was good they weren't here on time. Not that they should know that. The plan was that we were meeting at my house and we were all driving over together. After walking to my closet, I picked up a strapless black dress off one of the hangers and laid it on the bed. Layers of tulle, the word Jenna couldn't wrap her finger around, made the dress flare from the end of the bodice and down. Carefully, I slipped my rope off and slid on the dress trying not to mess up my hair, which was coated with several sprays of TRESemme Sleek and Shine Extra Hold hair spray. Once my dress was on, I slipped on a pair of Black Kurt Geiger Emiline pumps I bought the other day on a spur of the moment shopping trip. Putting on a fake smile, I tried to be convincing when I looked in the mirror. I opened my M.A.C Shy Girl natural colored lipstick and applied it on my lips before I grabbed my phone and walked out of the room.

"Jer, you sure you're not up to going?" I leaned against the open door in his room. He was lying on his bed with one earphone in his ear, shuffling his iPod.

"I'm not so much the homecoming type, but you have fun." He gave me a nod and threw me the keys. I caught them in mid air.

"Thanks—" the doorbell rang, "that'll be Danny and Elliot, I'll see you later." I waved and walked out. I walked—almost ran down the stairs and placed my phone on the banister post. Turning the porch light on, I opened the door to find Danny and Elliot standing there. Danny was wearing dark jeans, a navy blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a black vest and a loose, light grey tie. Elliot was wearing a dark grey shirt, a black tie, and black pants.

"You're late." I said with a smile, putting a hand on my hip.

"I know, I know, my fault, sorry!" Danny apologized.

"He flew to slow." Elliot rolled his eyes.

"You're lucky my brother didn't see you. His windows open." I commented.

"We were invisible."

"Of course you were. Come on, let's go." I leaned over to grab my phone, and closed the door behind me. Thank god Shylee and my dad weren't home, they would have been taking hundreds of pictures. We would have never gotten out of here. I got into the drivers seat while Danny let Elliot get into the back. He moved his seat to the correct spot and got himself in. It was already dark out so when I turned the car on, I turned the reading light on to look at them. Danny put his seat belt on and so did Elliot.

"So what's the plan?" I waited for an answer.

"You said he looked more like a man than a ghost, right?"

"Right. Besides the whole being half visible thing."

"I read the Thomas-James journal and he explained what kills types of ghosts and what doesn't. We've got stakes, the thermos, and uh, a few other stuff."

"Stakes? Like, wooden stakes?"

"Apparently some ghosts are more human than others, but not as human as me. Stakes work. Its what they used. Well, at least it's what Thomas-James used. Well it's either that or we're all gonna die. So hopefully this works." Elliot stupidly commented. Did he not understand how nervous I was?

"Thank you for making me even more nervous Elliot. Real appreciated." I sighed, turning off the overhead light and speeding out of the driveway.

Ten minutes or so later, we pulled into a spot at Grove high school. The place was packed, and it was weird being here on a Saturday night. I saw a few people walk into the gym. I spotted Scott and the head cheerleader, Adrianna Sanchez walking in hand and hand. Adrianna, obviously sporting a new outfit and spray tan, flaunted her short red dress as she walked tiny steps in her glittering heels. Behind them, winner of the homecoming queen position, Kaylee Deanna walked in with her long time boyfriend who also happened to be the quarterback of the football team. She was wearing a blue satin sash across her dress with gold lettering that read 'Homecoming Queen'. Her pale blonde hair was curled and she wore it straight down. Her short black dress had gold glitter covering the bodice. It was tacky. Frankly, I couldn't find one reason why someone would vote for her. Even though she wasn't in any of my classes, I knew she was a total jerk. Everyone did. Thank God she was a senior, in a seven months, she'd be out of the rest of our lives. I put the car in park and turned it off, pulling out the key. I got out, and so did the guys. The second I stepped out of the car, I could hear the music blasting even with the doors shut. Every time someone walked in, the flashing strobe lights would show.

"Do you guys have everything?" I asked, they both replied with a nod.

"Just stay near us. And keep your phone with you all the time." Elliot directed. I nodded. We walked a ways to the gym and opened the doors. Almost immediately, the strobe lights flashed in my face. A song has just ended and the beginning of a new song began to play. The drums and guitar blasted on the stereo. "Hey!" A group of mens voice repeated three times in the song and started to sing the word 'oh' repeatedly. Then it switched to a girl singing and everyone continued on their dancing. Some of the guys fist pumped, and three fourths of the girls on the dance floor were grinding with other guys. Gross. Elliot placed something on a nearby table and I ordered him to place my keys in his pocket, since I didn't have a place to put them. All of us stood in the crowd near the dance floor, making sure nothing was unusual. Looking around the completely different looking gym, I was shocked how they changed it. They did a 180 degree transformation on it. The only thing that could have reminded you of it being a gym was the squeaky floor. They took out the bleachers and they raised the basketball hoops so they now were up against the ceiling. There were decorations everywhere. There were large, silver stars hanging from the ceiling. All the balloons were either silver or blue. At the entrance, there was a blue and silver balloon star arch. There were no lights on except for the strobes moving around their beams of light.

"Alexa! Finally, I found you." Jenna smiled, twisting her dress so it fluttered.

"Jenna, I love your dress, it looks awesome."

"Thanks! You look gorgeous. I've never seen you're curled, it's so pretty." She commented.

"Thank you. So where's Jason?" Jason was her date for the night.

"He's getting me a drink. He surprised me with a limo, he's just so cute," she leaned over to whisper in my ear, "I see you brought them as your dates. I saw you guys walking together." She winked.

"They aren't my dates. We just came as friends."

"Sure you did. Anyways, I'm gonna go see what's taking Jason so long. I'll see you later." She disappeared into the crowd. I spotted Danny and Elliot in the middle of the dance floor with their arms crossed over their chests. They were watching me closely, making sure I was never out of their sight. I made my way in-between dancers. Some knocked into me by mistake and mostly continued dancing. God, the music was so loud I could barley here myself think.

"Maybe he's just not gonna show." I said when I walked up to them.

"It's only been a half hour. He'll show up." Elliot turned his head, looking at the surrounding scene.

"Dude, you look pretty stressed. Go get a drink or something." Danny directed.

"I'm fine, but I think I will. You guys want anything?"

"Nah."

"I'm good." I replied. Knowing that I probably looked just as stressed as Elliot, I made myself take a deep breath in and out. There was a good chance that the ghost was bluffing and wasn't going to show up tonight. Besides, what did I have to do with any of this?

"Listen, I'm really sorry for all this." Danny apologized as we awkwardly stood in the middle of the dance floor, amongst talking and dancing people having a good time.

"It's my choice. I decided to be friends with you, with that came along the minor ghost problem. I officially signed up. No need to apologize" I laughed.

"But still."

"But nothing. Come on, it's homecoming, have a little fun." I nagged, grabbing his hands and dancing with him."

"No. I don't dance."

"Everyone is, have some fun!" I laughed, continued dancing even though he didn't want to. We still held hands.

"Fine, happy?" he awkwardly moved with me.

"You can do better." I complained, just joking around. But he sighed, then all of the sudden let go of my left hand, held onto my right and twirled me around. My dress fanned out and spun with me. It all happened so fast, he then outstretched his arm and turned me outside, but our hands were still together, then twirled me inside so I was right next to him.

"I thought you didn't dance?"

"I don't, and you better have remembered that because it's not happening again." A smile played on his lips, and I didn't bother hiding mine. Three and a half songs later, Danny and I were still dancing. That was until someone in the corner of the room caught my eye. There he was, standing there with a black, hooded, jacket on. The hood was over his head, but I remembered his face perfectly, and every time the strobe lights would flash his way, his face flashed in a vision before my eyes. In my peripheral vision, I saw a blue mist escape Danny's mouth.

"Danny, back of the room, black jacket." He wiped around to look for the ghost just in time for him to go out the door and down the hallway, and disappear.

"Go get Elliot and stay with him." He demanded and ran off into the crowd. The last time I saw Elliot was five minutes ago, flirting with some girl who was clearly not interested. But now, the crowd on the dance floor had gotten larger and I was getting almost claustrophobic. I searched my way through the crowd for him, bumping into people and not caring. Then, my cell phone rang in my hand. I vaguely heard it over the music, but the vibrating alerted me someone was calling. It had to be Elliot, worried that he couldn't find Danny or me.

"Hello?" I picked up the phone, pressing it to my ear.

"Hello Alexa." The voice purred. It wasn't Elliot. It was the ghost from last week. The one I saw not even a minute ago.

"What do you want? How did you get my number?" I spat.

"I have my ways. Here's what you're going to do, there's a door diagonal from you. You have five seconds."

"No." I stated clearly.

"Or you're girl friend here dies." He snarled. I spun myself around, looking for anyone on a cell phone. Girl friend? Then I saw him. He was close to Jenna, who was dancing with her date.

"Now start walking." He noticed my stare.

"Don't you dare touch anyone."

"Then walk, through the door. Now." He growled. I walked through the crowd like nothing was wrong, and then once I got to the door that lead to the school hallways I walked through daily, I broke out into a run. I heard and felt my cell phone slip out of my hands, but I didn't bother to go back and get it. I kept going. I had to get out of here, now. I was running. Running for my life. The hallways were deserted; everyone was enjoying the dance in the gym. No one would hear me scream over the loud music the DJ played. Very few overhead lights were on. The hallways were mostly dark. Some hallways were completely pitch black, but the one I was running down now was dimly lit by 3 fluorescent lights. I was already out of breath from running around the school hallways. Something, something that was obviously mostly ghost but partially man was chasing me. And Danny and Elliot couldn't be found. Only three questions went through my mind: Where was Danny, why is he chasing me, and are we going to die? The cold air conditioning pierced the skin on my open chest, which was starting to collect a cold sweat on it. The pattering of my heels clicked against the floors and rung in my ears. I made a sharp left turn around the corner, gasping a hand onto the white walls, but as I let go, my arms flung beside me as I almost fell on the recently waxed floors. But thankfully, I didn't. Hastily, I turned my heard around behind me for a split second to see nothing but an empty school hallway, and blackness from the others, but I kept going. I never stopped running. A flickering light ahead of me lighted my path and I saw two doors. I ran for the double doors connecting to an outdoor exit, but when I pushed through them, they were locked. Chains jingled on the other side of the door. After another push, followed by two others, I gave up and glanced behind me. The ghost turned visible again and he just smiled to me. He just smiled. He was standing there at the other end of the hallway and I backed up my back against the door. As if that was going to do anything. Slowly, he started walking. He was ten times faster than me, so why didn't he just use his speed and fly to me? The light above me flickered and made the feeling even scarier. Instead of just standing there against the door, I pushed myself forward, hearing another shake of the chains on the opposite side of the door, and jolted towards the cafeteria door, only steps from me. Bursting through the doors, I ran towards the lit up exit sign above another pair of double doors. It would lead me to another hallway, which would lead me to another. It was like a never-ending maze. The cafeteria looked basically the same as it did yesterday during lunch. Except now, it was cleaned up. The plastic foldable table still had the 'Buy Homecoming Tickets Here' sign attached to it. The tables were still in the same spots, the napkin dispensers still on them. The only light was coming from the vending machine, the door leading to the hallways, and one florescent hanging over the middle of the room. The lunchrooms doors burst open, so I pushed myself harder. But I wasn't fast enough; before I could blink he was in front of me. He had just appeared there. He grabbed me, but in a miracle somehow I ducked under his arm and started running. He yanked my arm back and I could feel the bone pop out of place. I screamed at the pain but it popped back into place when he twisted my arm around and threw my body across the homecoming ticket table, filled with slips and pencils. My body skidded and rolled off the table and onto the hard and dirty floor face first. I managed to put my hands in front of me so that they would take most of the falls force. Pencils and papers hit the ground with little clinks. How the table didn't manage to fall over was impeccable, but that didn't matter since the ghost but a hand under it and flipped the table over by himself. It landed with a large clank. I scurried myself up and ran for some type of weapon. There was nothing to defend myself with! Danny and Elliot were idiots for not giving me a stake or something that I could hide in my dress. And it wasn't like I could pick up a table like he could. The only things were a broom, a trash can, and many chairs. Then a thought hit me; the broom had a wooden stick! Change of plans. I ran to the broom that was supported against a wall and forcefully collided it with my kneecap, breaking it in two. I threw the useless part aside. The ghost flew over to me, but with my luck he wasn't intangible. It took a lot of courage but my life was on the line, I stabbed him with the sharp end of the makeshift broom stake, making a grunting noise as I did it, and he doubled over in pain. With using that as my extra time saver, I ran out the doors to another dimly lit hallway. Running past an intersection, a hand caught my wrist and I screamed. When they turned me around it wasn't whom I was expecting. Danny. And Elliot. My chest was rising and falling quickly, I tried to catch my breath.

"Oh my God." I breathed. Danny was in ghost form with Elliot beside him. They both looked scared and confused.

"I just bought us some time, let's go!" I yelled, still out of breath. We started running down the same hallway.

"What? What did you do?" Elliot asked as we ran.

"Staked him." Danny flew over and grabbed me. Before I knew it, I was facing a dark hallway that was in front of me before when I was walking. My back was against a set of red, paint chipped, lockers.

"Stay here. Don't come out." He ordered. I heard the doors burst open, but I listened to Danny and hid aside the lockers. I peaked my face out the slightest bit to see what was going on.

"Oh Alexa, I see you've brought you're friends. Oh, and it's none other than Danny Phantom."

"Who are you?" Danny asked.

"Someone you don't know."

"What do you want?"

"I like playing games." He laughed and then disappeared. The lights flickered dramatically and I held my breath, terrified of what was going to come next. Both boys came silent and looked around. But just then something grabbed Elliot. I saw a look of extreme terror wash over his face, that in all the months I've known him, I've never seen during a ghost attack. He was dragged into the darkness of the hallway in front of me.

"No!" Danny yelled, I kept a hand over my mouth. For a split second I questioned my stability. My thoughts were disrupted by a loud thud of something, someone—a body hitting the lockers. Elliot's body hitting the lockers. I cam out from my spot hiding against the locker and stopped being the damsel in distress, and ran after Elliot. I sprinted into the pitch-black hallway I dashed blindly through the blackness, just waiting for something to come out and get me. I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Was this a dream? Was I in a horror movie right now? It felt like I was. I was the girl who went down into the dark, and empty hallway at night when no one was home and said 'hello?' when she heard footsteps on the stairs just waiting to be killed by some psycho. I was that stupid girl. But I wasn't helpless, not anymore. Maybe I was being a martyr, or maybe I was just being a good friend, but I wasn't going to let Elliot die because of a ghosts obsession over playing games with me. Then something grabbed my feet and dragged me down and I yelped. Then he appeared over me.

"Having fun yet?" He taunted. I was on my back and he just stood over me. His eyes, now green, glowed with cruel happiness. My eyes, now getting used to the darkness, could see Elliot's shadow up against the lockers. I looked at the ghost above me.

"No." I took both my feet and kicked him, sending him flying back into the lockers. I crawled over to Elliot.

"Are you okay."

"Little headache, but I'm good." He assured and I dashed up. The ghost collected himself and went for me again, but behind him, Danny appeared and staked him in the back. The ghost howled a scream and fell down to his knees. A florescent that was once flickering dim, now brightly lit up the hallway that we could see each other. Danny pulled the stake out.

"Now, what do you want with her?" Danny repeated.

"I told you, I like playing games."

"Why her?" Danny crossed his arms, waiting for an answer. I didn't realize Elliot had gotten up and stood next to me.

"Because."

"Because why?" Danny growled and staked him again in a different place.

"Because she looks like Anna." He blurted out in a pained breath. Then all of the sudden, the ghost toppled over and stopped breathing. He was dead. I stood watching in horror. He turned back to his normal human body.

"You have the thermos, right?" He looked at Elliot. Elliot passed him the silver container. Danny opened it, sucking the dead body in.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, are you guys?" I asked, they both nodded. Danny pulled an object out of his jeans pocket.

"Found this outside the door." He handed me my phone.  
"Thanks."

"Care to explain what happened?"

"Later. Let's just get out of here." I sighed, walking away from the scene that just happened right before me. The boys caught up to me and we walked back to the car. Well, this was sure an interesting first homecoming. Inside, I knew that all three of us were wondering the same exact question. Who's Anna?

If I get 3 or more reviews, I'll update in the next two days :] Thanks for the reviews guys!

**Alex Leep: **Thank you so much! I'm so glad you love this story! Wow, that's a large compliment! Thank you so much! I'm glad you'll keep reading, you're awesome!

**SilverSea123:** I'm glad you liked it, I know I took so long. I'm such a bad updater. Boo me :P LOL.


	18. Vampires, Witches, and Ghosts, oh my!

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

_**Vampires, Witches, and Ghosts, oh my!**_

_**Chapter Song: To Loose My Life by White Lies**_

"Could anyone tell me what the original meaning of Halloween?" Mr. Henaley asked. Today was everyone's favorite holiday, Halloween. It was the perfect excuse to get a sugar high off of candy from strangers, even though our parents taught us not to take candy from strangers, and to decorate your houses like it was a contest on TV. Halloween was the perfect excuse of a holiday where girls had one night a year they could dress up like total sluts, and they could blame it all on a costume. Back in California, the popular kids had huge parties for it while my friends and I used to go out trick or treating for the fun of it. After we finished, we would pour out our candy on the kitchen table and count it all and trade. We were little kids at heart, who could help it. Everyone was a sucker for candy. People on our street used to be very competitive and have haunted houses for everyone. It wasn't like your usual haunted house. It was like a full-blown special effects stage. Families would plan for months, it was ridiculous. Now, here in Savannah, the school was more accepting of Halloween. The Student Government decorated the hallways and lunchroom, and the gym for tonight's dance. Unlike in California, people even dressed up at school. One person today was wearing a sumo wrestler costume, but I heard he got in trouble for it. Most of the student body was wearing black and orange, or some kind of shirt with spider webs or a ghost on it. A girl in the middle of the room raised her hand.

"Kailey?"

"To have a holiday for ghosts like Danny Phantom!" She perkily said.

"No, not like the phantom boy. And for all of you are thinking it's to pass out candy and to dress up, it's not. Just like Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah, and all those other holidays, it has been misread and turned into something majorly different. Halloween comes from the three words 'All Hallows Eve', or All Saints day. That's November first. It's observed in honor of saints. People believed that disembodied sprits who died throughout the years would come back into our world and try to possess already living bodies. The Jack-o-latern custom comes from an Irish Folklore about a man who got drunk, which I hope none of you are tonight, and he carved and trapped a devil in the tree—" In the middle of the teachers speech, the bell rang, "Well have a happy and safe Halloween." I got up and stretched out. It was possible that I was the only person in the school not wearing black or orange. I didn't even have orange in my closet! I wore a pair of dark blue skinny jeans; brown slouch boots, and a red Old Navy stretch top. I picked up my books and began walking with Danny to next class.

"Not into the Halloween spirit?" Danny asked.

"If you mean why am I not dressed like a sumo wrestler and a ninja like dumb and dumber over there, I'll pass."

"I hate when people do that."

"Yeah, same. Shouldn't you be all happy? It's Halloween, holiday that's for ghost."

"Nah, I should be worried. A ton of ghosts come out on Halloween."

"How many came last year?"

"Like five."

"Well, let's hope we don't beat that this year."

"Yeah, especially at the dance tonight."

"You're going?"

"Just making sure nothing too Halloween-ish happens."

"Oh watch out ghosts, Danny Phantoms on patrol" I giggled, "I guess I'll come." I shrugged.

"Wow, really?"

"Why not, it'll make up for last weeks Homecoming."

"We don't need another repeat of that."

"I would say." Danny and I went our separate ways and I walked into math. Jenna was standing next to her desk, texting.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Finally someone that isn't wearing a costume." She put the phone down on her desk. She was wearing a long sleeved beige shirt and a pair of jeans. A girl walked in behind me and Jenna's eyes widened in either disgust or shock. She shiny black leggings on, a low cut black shirt with a metallic silver bandeau underneath. She was wearing a pair of spiky heels and a lightning bolt necklace. The girl had a pair of weird looking glasses on her head.

"Nice costume, Sophie." Jenna smiled.

"Thanks." The girl walked past her, with a small smile.

"I actually don't even think that was a costume." She bit her lip, embarrassed, "by the way, are you going to the dance tonight?"

"Yeah I think so."

"Really? Great! What are you going to wear?" Jenna jumped.

"Um, I don't know. Probably an old costume or something, I'll just throw something together. What about you?"

"Sexy witch. It's this purple and black corset with a tutu, a spider necklace, and a hat. Super cute." She smiled and then went back to people watching.

After six hours of school, I walked into my room and put my bag down on the floor. I opened my closet and searched through it for a certain cardboard box. When I found it, I pulled it out and ripped the tape off the top. In black Sharpie on the side it read 'Alexa's closet etc'. I digged through some of the clothes and old shoes and finally pulled out a plastic case with last years Halloween costume in it. I pushed the cardboard box deep into my closet again and looked at the bag. It wasn't dorky but it wasn't too kinky. I grew half an inch last year; I doubted that would make a difference with the length. I threw it onto my bed and went downstairs for a quick dinner. Afterwards, I found Jeremy was sprawled on the living room couch, texting on his phone

"Are you going to the dance tonight?"

"Yeah, why."

"I'll drive you."

"You're going?"

"Yeah."

"And I, repeat, you're going?" I said, completely surprised.

"And I repeat, yeah." He rested his phone on his stomach and put his hands behind his head.

"You hate those kinds of things. And you don't like Halloween either. Why?"

"I'm meeting a friend." He said. The doorbell rang. I waited for him to offer to go and get it, but he just sat there. I sighed and walked to the door. I opened it to find three little kids, two girls and one boy, dressed as princess' and Spiderman. I saw their parents talking at the end of the driveway, sitting on a golf cart. Two moms and two dads sat nonchalantly talking in the golf cart, waiting for their children. My dad and Shylee felt the need to go out to Party City and buy a fifty dollars worth of decorations, which defiantly went far. There were fake spider webs and spiders all over the yard, along with plenty of 'beware' signs, tombstones, and cute little ghosts and witches hanging from the trees. For a 'fun' activity on Tuesday night, Shylee brought home half a dozen large pumpkins for us to carve. Her idea of quality family time was sure different than Jeremy's, he fought with her about doing it. But once we sat down and talked, he was fine. I was 100% sure we would be expecting a ton of visitors tonight.

"Trick-or-treat." The three kids sang, pronouncing it like 'twick or tweet'. I grabbed the orange, plastic bowl filled with candy to my left and grabbed a handful of chocolate kisses, Kit Kats, Reeses, and Tootsie Rolls. I distributed them between each plastic orange Jack-O-Lantern they used as a holder for all their candy.

"Happy Halloween." I smiled to them.

"Happy Halloween! Thank you." They scurried off to their parents. I shut the door and turned to Jeremy.

"Aren't you getting ready."

"Probably should" He picked himself up off the couch and went upstairs.

"Knock on my door when you're ready." He demanded.

"Fine." I mumbled. I hurried up the stairs and shut the door to my room, changing into my nurse's costume. It was mostly white, with a little bit of red lining. It was a short dress that wrapped around a little bit and Velcroed in the middle. It had cuff sleeves and it was a little to low cut, so I put a lacy red bandeau underneath. It came with sheer white knee-highs, and with that I paired it with white sneakers. I threw myself together and put the little hat on that had a red circle with a white cross inside it on my head. Straightening the dress out, I looked at myself and was ready to go.

By the time we arrived at school, it was already dark out. Which made everything spookier on Halloween. I thought about how a year ago today, I was just trick or treating with my friends back home, thinking that the whole ghosts thing was such a funny story to tell kids since they weren't real. Well, looks like I was wrong. Jeremy, dressed in his overly festive black hoodie and jeans, locked the car and stuff the keys in his pockets. Just like homecoming a week ago, I could hear the music blasting from outside. From the crack underneath the door, you could see the shadows of the green and blue strobes. I caught a glimpse of Danny, leaning against the wall waiting for me. He wasn't wearing a costume, and suddenly I felt a little stupid. But I saw a few other people walking outside in Jack Sparrow and Harry Potter and Hermione costumes.

"I past like six kids dressed up as you. You should be honored." I walked up to Danny.

"Seriously?" He raised a brow.

"You're like the new Lady Gaga costume craze or something."

"Ah, thank you Nurse Alexa."

"You're just like my brother, you should have dressed up! It's Halloween, have some fun."

"I'll pass." He pursed his lips.

"Come on, live a little. No pun intended." I said, a smile grew on his lips. Poor Danny had been stressed all day, and it was obvious he was stressed now. He had told me multiple times earlier he didn't want a repeat of the homecoming incident. There were six or seven ghost's attacks today, and Danny had caught them all after a fight. Now, there was no rest for the weary, Danny had to stay up for the rest of the night making sure no ghost attacked at the dance tonight.

"Did Elliot come?"

"Yeah, he's already in side flirting with someone." He chuckled.

"Ugh, when is he ever going to learn? We should probably get in there and save him before he does any potential harm to himself."

"We're probably to late." He shook his head, opening the doors to the modified gym. Once again, it had taken a total 180 from homecoming, where it was all sparkly and girly, and now it was spooky and gory. Besides the many blue, yellow, and green flashing strobe lights, there weren't any lights on. A bunch of people crowded around the snack table, which was filled with blood colored drinks and candy. A fake bloody hand sat in the middle, waiting to scare people. On one of the walls, 'Grove High Horrors' was written in fake blood that dripped down. Fake spider webs were hanging everywhere; music was blasting, and the whole nine yards with spiders and fake bones and what not. I looked down to my feet, and I couldn't even see them the fog from the fog machines was so thick. They had overdone the bloody theme by putting fake blood in a ton of places. Eventually searching through the crowd of people, we found Elliot dressed as a vampire.

"Really Elliot, a vampire? How original." He had on black pants, slick black shoes, a white shirt doused with fake blood, and a red velvet vest. Around his neck was a cross with a red jewel in the middle. He flashed a smile, showing off his fake fangs. And to top everything off, he had on contacts. Red contacts.

"Were the teeth and the eyes really necessary?" Danny asked.

"It's Halloween, cheer up." He laughed. I looked around, not feeling as bad now that I was wearing a costume. Literally, everyone in the room except Danny and my brother was wearing something festive. There were girls dressed as princesses, fairies, policewoman, tigers, witches, and anything you could think of. Even the guys had to have a little fun, wearing bloody scrubs; referees, skeletons, warlocks, and vampires, just like Elliot. There were a few werewolves, superheroes, cavemen, and zombies in the corner of the room passing around a flask. And sure enough, I saw Jenna in her witch costume dancing with a guy dressed as a pirate. I spotted my brother hanging out with a girl dressed as a Playboy Bunny. A few girls next to me coordinated and dressed as the same Sequined Devil costume. The strobe lights made everyone's faces green or blue. The three of us sat around for the next few minutes with drinks in our hands, waiting if anything happened. But eventually, something did. Danny's ghost sense went off and we all looked at each other. Danny ducked down underneath the table and changed into his alter ego. Danny flew over to the large, makeshift stage and hid behind a curtain. Behind me, I heard Elliot gasp under his breath and say 'uh-oh'.

"You have to thermos don't you." I guessed

"Maybe." He admitted with red cheeks.

"Well, are we just gonna stand here?" I turned to Elliot.

"Please." He whimpered. I rolled my eyes, and dragged him through the crowd and up to Danny behind the stage.

"Here." I handed Danny.

"Thanks Elliot." He murmured.

"Hey! Don't blame it on me." Suddenly, a ghost floated down from the ceiling and everyone pointed and screamed. In a deep, scary, tone, the ghost laughed.

"Happy Halloween." He snickered and put both his hands out. Danny flew after him and lightning like beams flew out of the other ghosts hands. I ducked behind a wall, and Elliot just stood still. When I looked back, everyone was different. Everyone was now what their costume was. I searched the buzzing crowd for Jeremy, who was still in his hoodie and jeans. Since that wasn't a character, animal, or thing, he didn't turn into it. And I didn't either. I was still the same Alexa wither her old nurses costume on. Had I dodged whatever just hit everyone else? My eyes fell upon Jenna, who had an evil smile on her face. She had turned into an actual witch. And the guy she was dancing with? He was now an actual pirate with a real sword. Jenna put her hand out and suddenly the pirate guy fell to the ground. She had powers? The guys I had spotted in the back of the room before had changed into actual werewolves and superheroes. The girls that had dressed, as devils became actual devils, and the girls dressed as fairies had real wings now. This was insane, and way too much to handle.

"Elliot, we need to get out of—" I turned around to see Elliot looking at his hands. He turned them over, then over again, and then blinked a couple of times. His contacts had turned black, under his eyes became purple and black with red veins popping out. He opened his mouth, exposing genuine fangs. Elliot had been turned into a vampire along with the rest of the student body. This wasn't good.

"Elliot…" I gently said. He growled. In the corner of my eye, I spied Danny fighting with the ghost.

"So. Hungry." He growled.

"Elliot, Elliot, no. It's Alexa, your best friend." I shook. He walked towards me, his jaw shaking. I turned around to run, but before I knew it, he was in front of me. Great, he did have super speed. I ducked under him and slid myself off stage and tried to disappear in the crowd. Elliot jumped off stage and started searching for me.

"Danny, hurry up!" I yelled over the crowd, but I doubt he heard me. Danger surrounded me and swallowed me up like an ocean wave. Everywhere I looked there was some kind of person that could hurt me. But right now, Elliot was the main danger, and whatever other vampire was here. The strobes continued to go off, my eyes pained. I bumped into Jenna, who looked drugged and angry. She hissed at me and I ran, bumping to a few other scared normal people. There were a few pirates fighting with each other and in the middle of the room a vampire and a werewolf were tearing each other apart. Running away from everything wasn't an option, there wasn't anywhere to run. The music was ringing in my ears. Somehow, I ended up back at the front facing the stage. I watched as Danny took down the ghost on the stage and started punching him.

"Change them all back!" He growled at the ghost. Before I knew it, Elliot had magically appeared in front of me.

"Do it or I'll kill you." Danny yelled. I gasped from seeing Ellio and began running; he grabbed my hand and jerked me back. He took in a deep breath while leaning his head all the way back and lunged for my neck. I screamed the second his fangs pierced my skin.

"Fine." I heard someone say. And when Elliot went for my neck again, instead of biting it, he dropped to the floor, returning to normal. And so did everyone else in the room. I looked up to Danny on stage, and he sucked the ghost into the thermos. He looked back at me and then to everyone else. He turned invisible and then he changed back to normal while crouching down next to Elliot. He picked him up, and Elliot groaned.

"Dude, wake up." He shook Elliot.

"Huh? Oh god." He opened his mouth and felt his canine teeth to see that they were straight and not pointy. Everyone slowly started to get up.

"That was so cool!" Some guy in the middle of the room yelled.

"Sorry Alexa, I couldn't control myself. You smelled amazing." Elliot rubbed the back of his neck. I noticed his contacts were gone, his eyes were normal again.

"Okay I know every girl in this room has always been dying to get bit by a vampire, but that's not an experience someone should base a book on."

"Good point. You okay?"

"Fine. You?"

"Good."

"Do you think that was the last ghost attack for the night?"

"Last one's usually the biggest one. So I say it's safe to go home. And it's twelve, Halloweens over."

"Any of you need a ride?"

"I'll fly home."

"Sure." Elliot shrugged.

"Come on vampire boy, let's go." I grabbed him by the arm and began walking.

"We'll see you tomorrow Danny. Try to get some sleep." I wished, talking away with Elliot. I found Jeremy and grabbed him with my other free hand, without even stopping.

"What are you doing?"

"Were going?"

"Whoa, what happened to your neck?"

"Did you not just see what happened? By the way, none of this goes past these doors. Meaning dad and Shylee won't find out."

"Psh, like I was gonna say anything. And duh I just saw what happened. You got bit?"

"Mhm." I said, I took the keys from Jeremy's and got in the car.

Shutting the door to my house at twelve thirty in the morning, I heard Shylee still in the kitchen Jeremy walked upstairs without another word.

"Jer? Lex?"

"Yeah, it's us." I called in. She walked out of the kitchen and into the foyer.

"How was it?"

"Fine."

"Honey, what's wrong with your neck? Is that blood?"

"Oh, some people were just playing around with some fake blood." I lied.

"Wow, looks so real. Okay. Well anyways, have a good night. Your father fell asleep early, I was finishing up some stuff, I'm beat, I'll see you in the morning." She smiled, walking off to her room, and so did I. The strangest event of the night? Not the ghost attack and not even when Elliot bit me. It was the fact that after my shower and I got changed into my pajamas, I went to brush my teeth and the bite from Elliot was gone. I really should have been expecting these weird ghostly things to happen.

**A/N: Next chapter :] Enjoy! And also, to ****SilverSea123****, a really awesome reviewer of mine, have an awesome birthday! **

**Anyways, review guys! Next chapter up super soon. **


	19. Let's Be Normal, For One Night

A/N: Hooray! Next chapter up :] Yes, I know this one is quite small but the next chapter will be on fire. Literally ;] Anyways, three reviews and chapter goes up tomorrow! Thank you for the many reviews! Love u guys!

_**Chapter Nineteen:**_

_**Let's Be Normal, For One Night**_

_**Helena Beat by Foster the People**_

Autumn weather set in by early morning November first. Now, eight days later, students were dressing accordingly and getting used to the chilly weather. Everyone had put away their shorts, t-shirts, flip flops and Halloween costumes and traded them in for jeans, boots, jackets, and long sleeved shirts. The weather was delightful. There were light breezes and the air was crisp and smelled like apples. The high sixty-degree weather made me happy, it never got this cold in California. Throwing on my maroon tank top and my cream colored Prep School Cardigan from Forever 21. I tucked my jeans into my boots and grabbed my school bag and headed to the car. Stopping at Jeremy's room, I peaked my head into hear him coughing. The blinds were shut, not letting any light in. He didn't have any lights on. Not even his lamp. His hair was all messed up, looking as if he hadn't brushed it in days.

"Feeling any better?" I asked. Unfortunately, Jeremy came down with a bad cold the last few days. He's been bedridden for the past few days not able to go to school. Lucky him, he got to sit on the computer and watch movies all day. Today, he looked less pale than he did yesterday, and his cough sounded twenty times better than it did yesterday.

"Yeah, I actually am. That Nyquil Shylee gave me is a life savor. My coughs the only thing left. I don't even have a fever anymore." Jeremy's nasal voice that he had yesterday was even gone.

"Even though I know the answer to this already, sure you don't want to go to school? I'm leaving now."

"Nah, I'll take one more day off for the heck of it. I've got to much homework to make up, my teachers are total freaks about it." I could almost have bet everything he would have said that. I spotted his garbage can filled to the top with tissues.

"Whatever you want. See you later. Have fun doing nothing." I smiled.

"Believe me I will."

"Oh, and Jer, clean out your garbage can, we don't need your nasty germs everywhere." I laughed. Jeremy groaned.

"Just go to school." He moaned, ready to throw a pillow at me to go away. So I left. I walked out the front door and locked the door behind me since my dad and Shylee were both gone. I walked off the porch and got into my car. I buckled on my seat belt, fixed my rear view mirror, and finally bent over to put my bag on the passenger seat. When I sat up straight again and looked in the rear view mirror to back out, a boy with a pair of electric green eyes was looking at me. I gasped loudly but then I realized it was Danny in his ghost form. We were looking at each other via the mirror and I noticed my eyes were the size of golf balls. A smile grew on his face.

"Jesus," I breathed, "Danny, how long have you been there?" I put a hand over my heart trying to slow it down.

"Five minutes give or take."

"And what, just laying on my seat?"

"Actually, I was invisible, but close enough." He laughed.

"And I'm guessing you got in here by…" I waited for him to finish the sentence.

"Intangibility."

"Right, never going to get used to that. Come on, get in the front." Looking from the mirror, I watched Danny disappear and reappear in the seat next to me. He changed back to normal.

"You know, normal people just climb over the consul." I turned the knob of the radio on, letting the music play quietly in the background. Then, I backed out of the driveway.

"Yeah, well as you can tell, I'm not normal." He laughed.

"True." I laughed and continued driving to school. After a little bit of talking, I noticed Danny grew quiet. He looked spaced out, exhausted.

"Danny, you okay? You look pretty tired."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm exhausted. You know the mayor, Vlad?"

"Yeah, the really rich one right?"

"Yeah. For some reason he's been against Danny Phantom for the past few days and he's been going on this rant with policemen and stuff. So last night after I caught a ghost, he and his stupid henchman started chasing after me for an hour. I couldn't get them off my tail, they just kept finding me."

"What did they do?"

"They chased me non stop. They even tried shooting at me."

"What the…is that even legal?" I turned into the schools busy parking lot.

"Anything's legal if you're Vlad Masters and you have that amount of money."

"You better keep low for a while. The last thing we need is you being caught by the major." We both got out of the car and walked to History together.

"Seriously, you drove him?" Elliot ran up to us.

"What are you spying on me now?"

"I saw you two walking together. You could have at least picked me up! We need to plan things like these."

"If by plan you mean Danny popping up in my back seat then yeah, let's make a date." I rolled my eyes.

"It was a joke." Danny laughed.

"Come on, we're gonna be late." I pulled him to history.

"Tomorrow we'll be discussing the history of Savannah. Just for a starter the recording of history here began in 1733 with a General named James Oglethorpe and 120 other people landed here in a ship. Oh, right, before you all leave today, first period teachers are required to tell you about the fundraising carnival this Friday the 12th. Come support Grove High School's fine arts and sports teams. The money from every ticket sold is going towards trips for the teams and new instruments for the bands, along with new sports supplies and jerseys, and etcetera. There's going to be food stands, a Ferris wheel, merry go rounds, ring tosses, mirror houses, and a lot of booths and other rides. It'll be held in a park named on the flier sheets. Those could be found at the school message board outside. Also there is a sign up sheet for whoever wants to work it. So be there to support your fellow classmates. Class dismissed." Mr. Henaley said with a wave of his hand.

"Well he sounded enthusiastic about it." I sarcastically commented.

"Very." Danny picked up his bag and we began walking to next class.

"Want to go?" I asked.

"To the carnival?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, "It'll be like one night being normal again. No ghosts, no fighting, no problems."

"Hm a night of being normal, that's a thought." Danny stopped to get a book out of his locker. I leaned against the wall of lockers, looking at Danny.

"Oh come on Danny. Me, you, and Elliot at a carnival, we'll go on the Ferris wheel, eat fatty food that's probably soak in butter, play a few games, win a goldfish, then go home. Let's be boring high school students for one night, living in a world where ghosts don't exist. See the running theme here?" I said, Danny quietly laughed.

"Yeah, and I like it."

"You even agreed with me that you needed to lay low. This is the perfect opportunity."

"You're right. Fine, we'll go, but, just because we'll be normal for one night. Well, normal as normal can get." He answered. I smiled with happiness. I didn't know why I was so excited for this carnival. Maybe it was because I never went to one back home before? My dad said the ones back home were to skeevy. There was once a story on the 11 o'clock news that a girl got kidnapped from one of those carnivals. She was found a few days later. Correction, her body was found a few days later. So my dad never trusted me to go to them. Not even with a group of people. Or maybe I was so excited to just be a normal teenager again? Ever since I found out about this ghost situation, I've never been the same. I felt like everything I knew was ruined and I had to be re taught. That was basically all I wanted since day one of knowing Danny was a ghost, a normal life again.

"Great! You're the best, Danny. I'll see you later." I walked off to class. I had a feeling that the rest of the week was going to go by slow since I was so excited for Friday evening. And my excitement was all over a carnival and a day to be normal again, go figure.


	20. Beyond The Walls

**A/N: Hooray! As hard as this chapter was to write, I absolutely loved it. Even though I only got 2 reviews in the last chapter, I really wanted to upload this so I'm totally breaking my rule and doing it. Enjoy and please review! :] **

_**Chapter Twenty:**_

_**Beyond The Walls**_

_**Chapter Song: S.O.S by Abandon**_

The carnival was being held at a park since it was way to big to be fit inside the school grounds. So now, it was attracting ten times more the amount of people it would at school. By the time we got there, the sun had set and it was dark out. The bright, flashing and spinning lights reflected off the windshield was giving me the start of a headache. Once I was out of the car, I began to walk away.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Jeremy nodded as a reply.

"Just answer your phone when I call you, I don't want to be here forever."

"Fine." I rolled my eyes and started up my walk to go find Danny and Elliot. The air smelled of funnel cake and sugary treats, and in certain places you stood, it smelled like sweat. Loud screams and shouts of joy, _dings_ and _beeps_ from carnival games, and the noise of people talking over the other loud noises bombarded my hearing. As a song ended, the DJ blasted Neon Tree's over the sound speakers. Small children walked by me holding plastic cones with either pink or blue cotton candy half eaten on it. Far off, a couple sat on the grass sharing a funnel cake. The ticket booth in the front had a line that seemed like it was a mile long. Everyone in line was wearing glow stick necklaces, laughing, and sharing cold Coca Cola's with each other. Walking on, there were tons of food stands selling corn dogs, hamburgers, fries, and gooey treats. They all had long lines. The Ferris wheel, which was now moving, light's lit up the sky. To think of it, it was pretty bright here for it being nighttime. Every booth or stand had tons of lights handing from them, so it was completely bright, except for the dark sky. The flashing and revolving lights began to make my eyes hurt. I passed by a house of mirrors, a swing ride with people screaming and laughing, a gold fish toss, a merry go round, and even a kissing booth, with a line that seemed to go on forever. There was a shirtless jock sitting on a dunk tank next to the booth, his beige shorts were soaked. Finally, I found Elliot sitting next to the fountain, scarfing down a funnel cake.

"Want some?" He handed the paper plate over to me. I tore off a small piece and put it in my mouth. It would subside me till I had dinner later tonight.

"Where's Danny?" I asked once I finished chewing.

"I thought he was with you." Elliot shrugged, continuing to eat.

"I haven't heard from him." I dug out my phone and dialed Danny.

"Hey, I was just going to call you." Danny answered on the second ring. I was relieved. Before he answered bad thoughts entered my mind like what if he got caught, but obviously he didn't.

"Oh. Where are you?"

"My parents took the car out, so I'm just gonna fly over."

"Are you sure? You know, I can just come and pick you up." I offered.

"It'll be faster if I flew, thanks though."

"Just stay hidden. I'll meet you somewhere when you land."

"Fine, I'll text you."

"See you in a few." I hung up and clutched the phone in my hand.

"Where is he?" Elliot said, chewing on a piece of his funnel cake. I looked at him, rolled my eyes.

"His parents took the car, he's flying over.

"He said he'd be careful, I trust him." I said, then proceeded to take Elliot by the arm and drag him to go play ring toss. After a few tries at the game, I won a goldfish, but since I by mistakenly killed my last one, I gave it to Elliot, who gave it to a 'hot' girl as a present. She thought it was strange, but she accepted it anyways. After a few games, we started to walk on the grass nonchalantly talking, listening to Elliot belting along Helena Beat with Foster the People over the stereo, until my phone buzzed in my pocket. I took it out to see that Danny texted me saying he would meet me on the corner of 17th street, down the stairs. And he said he would be there in five.

"I'm meeting Danny on the corner of 17th street, I'll see you in a few." I began walking down, Elliot standing there.

"Wait, what should I do?" Elliot called over the crowd.

"It's a carnival, go on a ride, flirt with some more girls, win another gold fish." I smirked, running off to meet Danny.

17th street was only a block from the carnival, so the music and lights were still loud and bright. I wasn't to sure of what Danny was talking about when he meant down the stairs, until I turned around and saw a small flight of stairs next to the brick building. Figuring this was what he meant, I walked down them and looked into the plain dark alley. There were two, grey, brick walls on both sides of me and a wall a few yards ahead. Not like this was creepy or anything. Then, right in front of me, Danny landed on the ground gracefully in his ghost form.

"Meeting in an alley, at least it's not conspicuous."

"Hello to you too." He grinned.

"Any trouble from Vlad?"

"For the first time this week, surprisingly no."

"Suspicious, but good."

"Did I miss anything?"

"If you count Elliot eating and me winning a goldfish only for it to be given to a girl as a girl present by Elliot then yeah, lots."

"I was gonna say sorry for being late, but I take that back now." Danny nodded. A glimpse of a little tear in Danny's outfit along his wrist alerted me. I walked over to him and rolled his suit up a little bit to reveal a little scratch on his wrist.

"It's from a bullet. It wasn't anything, I promise."

"Are you sure? What about your suit?"

"Somehow, it patches itself up, so I'm just waiting for it to do so."

"Wow, you can do everything can't you." I half smiled. Absentmindedly, I rubbed my thumb over his wrist and he looked at me for a split second before he started clutching his head and yelling in pain.

"Danny?" I asked alarmed, he toppled over, falling to his knees. He tried biting his lips to try to stop screaming, but it didn't work.

"Danny? Danny what's going on!" I bent down next to him.

"My," He paused to take a heavy breath, "head." He finished and continued to scream in pain. Suddenly, four hands were on me and I was being pulled away from Danny. For hands landed on Danny, picking him up off the ground. Those four hands belonged to police officers.

"Ghost boy contained." One talked into his walkie talkie.

"Let him go!" What are you doing? Stop, what are you doing?" I cried, trying to shake the two men off.

"Don't worry," a grey haired man in a black suit said walking down the stairs, "it'll all end soon." He put his hands together. Vlad. One of the officers pulled out what looked like a shot needle filled with a clear liquid. They injected him with it and within seconds his body went limp. They mumbled to each other to take him away.

"Danny! Leave him alone! Danny!" I repeated a few times and the guards dragged him up the stairs.

"No! Danny!" I cried, then the officers dragged me up the stairs, and the opposite way from Danny, who was still in his ghost form. The last thing I saw before the dragged me away was my phone drop out of my pocket.

In the old, beige, granite, building called City Hall, I was locked on the second floor at the mayor's office. It was a room made with all dark wood, with a fancy oriental rug and a half a dozen brown leather armchairs. There was a fancy antique desk with a leather chair and an expensive desktop computer. Vlad's desk was fairly clean, not having any suspicious evidence of the ghost hunt he was on. While they dragged me in here, I had learned that no one else in the Savannah government positions along side Vlad knew about this ghost take down. It was him and the hand full of police officers. City Hall was dark and no offices were open, none except for Vlad's office, where I was being held captive. There were a bunch of windows in the room around his desk area; through the shutters all you could see was black sky. All of the sudden, the mahogany doors opened and closed once Vlad sashayed in with his arms crossed over his chest, contemplating what he was going to do.

"Miss Pennington." He looked at me. I stood up from the uncomfortable sagging chair I was in.

"It's Alexa." I spat.

"I know it is. I've seen you around with the Phantom boy."

"Oh you're spying on me now? I'm sure your government buddies wouldn't like to hear you're following around a sixteen-year-old girl."

"Feisty, aren't we?

"What do you want with him? Why am I here?"

"You obviously have a relationship to Phantom. We couldn't have you out and about to ruin our plan, so you have to be kept here until it's executed."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I hissed, "What do you want with Danny?"

"Patience dear Alexa. Danny Phantom, along with the other ghosts in town, are a danger to my peoples' safety. We cant have them around anymore. They are going to be burned in the abandon medical building down on Rochester. Since it's so close to the festival, and the fireworks will be going off in a matter of moments, people will just think that a bad firework hit the building, and nothing would be blamed, no one would be missed. Seeing that you're close with the Phantom boy, we had to keep you here till it's done, because the last thing we needed is you ruining our plan. After the burnings complete, you'll be free to go." Vlad explained. To think that Danny was in that building beyond these walls killed me. I wanted out.

"Are you crazy?" I yelled.

"This should have been done a long time ago." He raised a brow at me.

"What? No! Danny phantom isn't the bad guy here, he saves people!"

"This is the only way to settle it." Vlad shook his head. I wanted to rip his head off.

"I can think of like 57 other ways to settle it!" I yelled, furrowing my brows.

"I'm sorry Alexa, it's for the best. You're going to have to say goodbye to your hero. Now if you excuse me, I have some ghosts to kill." He put his hands together and calmly walked out of the room. Running for the door after him, he had locked it the second the doors shut. I had a pretty good feeling that there were a bunch of guards out in that hall, so even if I did break for it they would catch me immediately. My best friend was about to be burned, and they were keeping me hostage in City Hall! I banged on the wooden doors till my hands hurt.

"Let me out!" I cried and banged once more. It was useless. I ran my hands through the top of my hair and felt like pulling my hair out, or ripping Vlad's ridiculously idiotic head off. I've never been in a situation more frustrating than this. My phone had dropped back at 17th street so I had no way of calling Elliot to go in there and get Danny before the fire was ignited. Danny had been injected with chloroform, but it was such a small amount that Danny would be awake just in time for his death. Pacing the room a few times, I picked the phone up on the desk to only hear a dial tone, alerting me it was disconnected. They were one step ahead of me. I felt helpless just sitting here, leaning my body weight against the antique desk. I turned my head around and looked at the window with the brown wooden French door shutters. I was not going to let Danny die. Then it hit me. I opened the shutters to find a bay window without a latch to open it. I looked around the room and turned to the antique chair tucked into the desk. As daring as it was, and knowing how much trouble I would be for doing this to a mayors office, I did it anyways. I picked up the heavy chair, lifted it into the air, and swung it at the window. The action was followed by the sound of a high-pitched noise and the sound of breaking glass. I watched the glass plummet to the carpet and outside on the street. The chair landed in the alley with a big thump. The glass fragments made a pitter patter sound as they hit the ground. Carefully, I climbed onto the window frame, trying to get as little glass in my hand as possible, took a deep breath, and courageously jumped out of the two-story window. To my amazement, I landed on both feet in a crouched, cat like position. The moment my hands hit the pavement, I felt a few shards of glass cut my hand. The pressure of the situation was to big of a problem compared to my hand, so with all my might I ran for the building. Deep down inside I knew this wasn't going to end well. Ahead of me, I heard and watched the bright colored fireworks going off. I was going to be to late.

Every noise from the city was echoing in my brain. It was like things were going in slow motion. The music from the carnival, the popping sound of the fireworks sounded like they were centimeters from my ears. Minutes later, I ran onto Rochester street and instantly smelled the smoke from the building. Following my scent of the blaze, I traced it down to the only abandoned medical building in the area. Once when I passed the building, I spotted a side door and thought about how creepy the building was. Running down a narrow pathway in between the targeted building and the street, I ran to the back door.

"You can't go n there!" Elliot came out from the shadows. He was surprised to realize it was me standing in front of him. I hadn't noticed him walking in circles trying to figure out a plan before. I opened the metal door to the abandoned building not bothering to pay attention to Elliot's advice.

"The fire's going to take you out, too!" Elliot ran up to me, stopping just before the sidewalk started. I turned around to him to catch my breath, I hadn't stopped running since many blocks ago. My feet ached and silently I thanked God I hadn't made the decision to wear my heeled boots today.

"He's our friend, Elliot!" I looked at him like he was backstabbing me, turning his back on Danny for leaving him in there. But granted, Elliot didn't want to die either. Ignoring his smart words, I went in anyways, not sure if I was going to come out or not.

"Alexa, wait! I'll think of a plan!" He yelled but the metal door behind me slammed shut on his last words. The smell of gasoline and fire filled up my nostrils and went straight to my lungs. I could just picture Vlad spilling gasoline all over the place and then setting a lighter on the stairs, putting the place up in flames. Turning to my right, I noticed the taupe walls looked like they hadn't been touched in years. An old medical scale stood straight against the wall in the corner. The room was smoky, and smoke was rolling in from the next hallway. Walking a few steps under a high arch connecting the rooms, to my right there was a door. Smoke barreled out of the cracks of the doors, and when I touched the brass doorknob, it was burning hot. Instantly, I pulled back and painfully groaned. _He's right beyond this wall, just open the door quickly_, I repeated over and over in my head. In one swift motion, I did it. The knob was scorching hot but the pain would go away eventually, the pain of loosing a friend like Danny wouldn't. The second the door was opened, fire jumped out at me. I slammed myself against the wall, making sure I wouldn't get burned from the flames licking the doorway. The heat was like standing in a five hundred degree oven. Desperately looking around fro a way to get down the stairs covered in flames, I frantically searched around and successfully found a fire extinguisher. Running back to the basement door, the flames were creeping upwards. Moans and screams could be heard over the crackling of the wood. The flames mocked me; they licked at the door and at the railing. I sprayed the extinguished until the fire on the stairs calmed, and without a second thought I ran down the stairs into the danger filled basement, stupidly throwing the extinguisher aside since it was empty. I could smell a mixture of gasoline, and the sweet smelling chloroform, it burned my throat and made my head woozy. Ghosts were everywhere; their visibility flickered in and out. They cried for help, reaching their hands out for me to help them. But Danny stood out in the crowd. He was on hands and knees, coughing and heavily breathing in his human form. He either heard or saw me running down the stairs and weakly turned his head to me. The closer I got to Danny, the heavier the scent got. The smell in here was like a rope tightening around my lungs.

"Alexa." I heard him whisper. _Crackle, crackle, creeeek_, the ceiling made noises. Fire flicked at the ceiling. The place was going to cave in any minute.

"Danny." I ran to him, twisting my way in and out of the fire. I picked him up, putting a hand around his waist and one under his arm, literally dragging him up. He wrapped his left arm around my neck, using it as support. He was coughing terribly. A nearby wooden beam fell from the ceiling. I yelped.

"Get out of here." He coughed like an old smoker.

"Not without you. Can you fly us out?" I asked, my voice rose over the noises of screams and fire.

"I can't go ghost," he interrupted with a cough, "too weak." He finished. I felt his body go frail in my arms. Even I began to cough from smoke inhalation. The air was thick and hot. Danny cough again, sweat dripped down his forehead. My loosely curled hair started to fall from the heat. My clothes uncomfortably stuck to me. Looks like we were getting out of here the hard way.

"Danny, come on we've got to get out of here." I told him. He coughed a few times.

"I can't." His eyes dropped. I blinked, trying to focus on Danny, but my vision started to get fuzzy and hazy. I remember learning in science last year that the inhalation of left over Chloroform could make a person pass out. That would not happen in here. Despite the pain and absolute shock and terror I was in, my thoughts were processing better than I thought I would. At this point, I thought I would be passed out on the floor from so much smoke inhalation, but I tried to breath as little as possible. That wasn't working out. My skin was tingling, my head pounded, along with my lungs aching, and my eyes burning from the lack of fresh air. Looking around, I mostly saw flames. There were fewer ghosts in here than before. Every piece of wood in the basement was completely concealed in fire. The loud crackles of the fire and moans from the ghost didn't even compare to how loud the pounding in my heat echoing in my ears was. It was beating so fast, I was sure it could have set a world record. But what I was completely sure on is that if we didn't get out of here in the next thirty seconds, we would both be dead in minutes.

"No," I coughed and almost fell over, "come on Danny, stay with me." Another cough escaped my throat. Tightening my grasp on Danny, I weaved us through the fire, which was growing stronger than before. Halfway back to the stairs, a line of fire blocked my way as I was about to take a step. The gasoline fume got stronger. Looking at the floor where the fire was, I could see where it was poured—in a messy circle, engulfing us. Before we were enclosed in the circle, I jumped out and ran to the stairs with Danny with many complications in our way. I was supporting Danny with my hands, but thankfully he still had the slightest bit of energy left to move his legs. But that energy level was dying. I was growing as weak as him, my legs burned as if the fire was started on them. They ached and began to grow numb. A few more coughs came out and I watched as the wooden banister continued to burn. How we were going to drag ourselves up these stairs without getting caught on fire was beyond me. But we started it off by taking one step on the stairs, then another step, and then another. The tip of my rubber shoe had started to burn but I instantly stepped on it, putting the fire out. Taking baby steps, it seemed as if we were in slow motion as we made our way up the stairs. My lungs were on fire, and I was sure Danny's lungs were worse. Taking a step onto another stair, I felt my foot go through the charred wood and fall thorough a hole. I tripped, but was able to yank my foot out. I proceed our way once again with a silent Danny by my side. Was he still alive? I felt his shallow breaths as I held him He was alive, but barely. Looking behind me, I noticed that the stairs had started to burn again. And without the fire extinguisher to my use, this was going to be a problem. Next to my foot there was a puddle of gasoline. Crackles came from the stairs as if they were going to cave in, the same noises came from the ceiling. Two more steps, I told myself silently. One more step. Behind me, the stairs started breaking. Once I reached the top of the stairs, I felt as if the world was lifted off my shoulders. But we still weren't out yet. So we ran. Well, we ran as fast as we could. Which wasn't fast at all. I coughed again, and again, and again. Danny's left arm still hung around my neck and shoulders; he hung on for dear life. I busted open the metal door and once the fresh, cold air hit Danny and me, we gasped for air. Compared to the inside of the building, the temperature was like being in Antarctica. Cold, just the way I liked it.

"Danny!" Elliot yelled, a shade of happiness in his voice. He was mostly shocked. The metal door behind me slammed, and Danny's weight finally got to me. We both fell to our knees, bent over on all fours gasping and coughing our way through clean air. I could still taste and smell the smoke in my parched mouth.

"Alexa?" Another very familiar voice said. I coughed and looked up to see Jeremy standing there with his arms over his chest. I had a lot of explaining to do. My head fell, my vision blurring to the point I couldn't see anything. My head felt like someone hit it with a baseball bat. Then with a final cough and a blurred look at a limp Danny, everything went black.


	21. The Aftermath

A/N: I'm back! Sorry school started last week and it's been a drag. How can teachers give homework the first week, let alone the first day? Oh well, here you guys go.

_**Chapter Twenty-One**_

_**The Aftermath**_

_**Chapter Song: Set Fire To The Rain**_

A cool air radiated around me. The iciness brought a feeling of safety and comfort. Usually that would make sense to a person if you said a warm feeling gave you that, but not for me. A sweet melody tingled in my ear. I was the softest sound of music quietly playing from a stereo or an iPod. I had just come out of a heavy sleep having a terrible dream. I was surrounded by fire and I was sitting there helplessly. And when it swallowed me up, I woke up. That's why the cool air felt so safe. It was just a dream. A terrible, terrible dream. Before I opened my eyes I could tell I wasn't in my room. This wasn't my bed I was lying in. Slowly, I inched open my eyes trying to focus on whatever and wherever I was. My head was placed on a throw pillow and I was laid on a couch, with a soft mohair blanket over me pulled all the way up to my chest. Before a moan escaped my lips, I closed my mouth and kept silent. Confused of to where I was, I lifted my head off the pillow and propped myself up on my elbow. My blurred eyes focused on two bodies, one sitting on the bed, the other leaning against a dresser with its arms crossed over it's chest. Eventually, my mind and eyes focused in. The person on the bed was Elliot, and the other was my brother. There was music coming from one headphone placed in his ear. There was a body on the bed, but he was laid on top of the covers and was facing me with his eyes closed. Danny. And I was in Elliot's room. And why was everyone else wearing the same clothes? And more importantly, why was my brother here? Elliot nudged my brother with his foot and he made a head motion towards me. Yanking the headphones out of his ear and placing the iPod on the tall dresser, Jeremy walked over.

"Alexa." He kneeled down to me.

"Jer…" I slowly spoke, my voice cracking. Why was my throat so horse?

"Are you okay? Listen to me, can you see me?" He waved a hand in front of my face.

"Ye-yeah. What's going on? Where are you here?" I blinked a few times. Did I by mistakenly fall asleep at Elliot's last night? I don't even remember being over here. How did I get here?

"You and ghost boy over there past out yesterday once you got out of the building." Jeremy threw a thumb over his back, pointing to Danny. The memories of the fire last night all flooded back, along with the pain. My eyes widened, I looked over to Elliot to figure out what to say. He just nodded, assuring me it was all right.

"You know?"

"That's not the point. How are you feeling."

"Uh, better." I lied. My hand was throbbing and my head hurt from the light coming through the windows. Looking at my left hand that was in pain, it was all bandaged up.

"Your hand had a ton of glass in it, it was all cut up. And it got burned a little. But it's okay, Dr. Elliot was on the case." Elliot proudly walked over and sat down on the edge of the couch.

"I understand getting burned but the glass in your hand? How'd you manage that?" Both boys eyed the bandages.

"Um, I had to jump out of a window…that I broke...with a chair." I awkwardly added.

"What!" Both boys freaked, Jeremy added a small laugh at the end.

"After Danny got caught the mayor took me to city hall and locked me in his office. So I threw his chair so the window would brake and jumped out two stories. It wasn't exactly the safest activity."

"You jumped out a building?" Jeremy said, not bothering to feigning his shock. He always knew me as Alexa, his little sister who was terrified of going on the jungle gym since it was far off the ground and the girl who had to take a Xanax almost every time she went on a plane, not the girl who jumped out of a two story building.

"Badass." Elliot laughed, "oh, and this belongs to you." He slid my phone out of his pocket.

"My phone! How'd you find it?"

"Since after a half hour of you not coming back, I went to where you said you were meeting Danny. I found your phone on the ground so I knew something was up. When I was walking back to the carnival I saw a few guards carrying Danny so I watched them put him in there and I hid behind another building till I eventually saw Vlad walk out the front door. I smelled smoke and then it was on fire and when you came I was trying to figure out a plan."

"You idiot you should have done something."

"I was thinking of a plan! I would have thought of one if you hadn't ran in there."

"Yeah well who got Danny out?"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jeremy broke it up, "Alexa you're an idiot for going into a burning building but it's good you saved him. Elliot, you're an idiot for not thinking of a faster plan."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes.

"So, now tell your side of the story now." Elliot raised a brow.

"I just did."

"With more detail."

"Fine. After I left you I walked to where Danny told me. We talked for a few minutes and then Danny started screaming and holding his head. Then they came and they shot him up with chloroform and took him away and then literally dragged me, kicking and screaming, to City Hall where a guard put me in Vlad's office, he talked to me, I jumped out a window, and that's where you came in, Elliot."

"What about when you went in?"

"We had a few fire complications. Danny couldn't um, go ghost." I felt uncomfortable talking about this in front of my brother.

"How many ghosts were in there?"

"A lot." I said, lying back down, "so where did you come in?" I pointed to Jeremy, wanting to change the subject.

"I kept calling you because I wanted to leave so I went to look for you. I past Elliot and I heard your phone go off but he wouldn't tell me where you were then you came out."

"How did you find out about Danny being, you know…"

" Because while I was driving you home there was a flash of light in the back and your little boyfriend as the ghost boy. And I pulled it out of techo freak over here."

"Hey!" Elliot frowned.

"May I repeat you're an idiot," I smiled, my right cheek pressing against the pillow, "When you do think he's going to wake up?"

It could be hours, could be minutes." Elliot looked at the alarm clock on his nightstand. Jeremy got up from his crouched position and stood up, stretching his back.

"Aren't your parents wondering why were here and let alone why we were passed out when you brought us in?"

"They're at a board meeting in Chicago for the next two days. Got the house to myself." Elliot smirked.

"Oh yeah, definite party animal," I rolled my eyes, "oh my God, Jeremy, dad and Shylee! They're gonna think we got kidnapped or something!" I sat up.

"You really think I didn't cover that? I called them saying you slept over a friends house and that I was too."

"Will they believe that?"

"I told them your phone ran out of battery, they didn't even try calling. They also said they'd be out all day so don't miss them."

"Thank you." I breathed, resting my head on the pillow once again.

"Dude, you got any food?" Jeremy asked Elliot. I looked at Elliot's digital clock; it was eleven fifteen Saturday morning.

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry too. Alexa, want anything?" Elliot asked.

"I'm fine, I think I'll go back to sleep."

"Fine. We'll be down stairs." He dragged Jeremy with him down to the kitchen. Five minutes later, I could already hear the boys attempting to cook. Closing my eyes seemed useless after a few minutes, I wasn't able to fall back to sleep. My hand was burning in pain and there was to much on my mind to fall asleep. Eventually, I did force myself to close my eyes and try to get comfortable. That was until I heard a few groans. My eyes flew open as I watched Danny uncomfortable shift positions and roll onto his back, and then back to his original position. That went on for a few minutes. I even changed my position, I rolled onto my back and bent my left leg and kept my right one straight. I put my hands together and rested them on my stomach. Keeping the blanket over me, I finally felt comfortable. Danny grumbled again and then I saw his eyes flutter open. I felt relieve seeing him okay again. He blinked, confused, and I spoke up.

"How are you feeling?" His eyes shot over to me.

"Whaa—why are we in Elliot's room?" He asked. I sat up, leaning my back against the pillow and crossed my legs with the blanket over me.

"Apparently we passed out after we got out of the building." I fiddled my hands together.

"Ugh, right. God everything seems so blurry."

"I understand I felt the same when I woke up, you'll be able to see better in a few minutes probably. Do you remember anything?"

"Yeah, only a little though. Just when we were talking and my head started hurting and then guards came, and then waking up in a fire then you eventually came. What happened?" He sat up in Elliots bed. I took my blanket off and walked over to Danny.

"Vlad was planning on getting rid of all the ghosts in town and apparently he saw me with you one of the last attacks. He shot you up with chloroform and took you away and locked me in his office and told me it was for the better and he would let me out when the burning was done." I sat down next to him on the bed.

"But the burning wasn't done when you got to me…how'd you get out?"

"I forgot to mention I jumped out his second story window and trashed his window with a _really_ expensive chair. But that's a different story for another time. Anyways, Elliot tried to convince me not to get you once I got to the building but I did it anyways. And the we got out, apparently we passed out, and now we're here."

"Elliot was right, you shouldn't have gone in." He said in a serious tone. Well, that was a different response than I thought I was going to get. I laughed once in disbelieve. Did the smoke get to his brain a little to much?

"What? Since when is Elliot right about something?" My brows furrowed, my smile was stiff.

"I don't know, I've been thinking. After everything you've gotten into you need to stay away from me. I've done this."

"I think you've inhaled a little to much smoke."

"This is the third time I almost gotten you killed."

"Well, no friendships perfect." I smiled.

"Come on, look at you. You just risked your own life to go get me, look at your hand."

"I did that to myself all on my own by jumping out that window. And these are all my decisions that I made, whether it was to save you or not. You're supposed to say 'gee Alexa, thanks so much for saving me. And I'm not sorry I almost got you killed because that what my fault.' Just shut up and be happy you're alive." I chuckled, embracing Danny. He wrapped his arms around me.

"Thanks Alexa, so much for saving me."

"You're welcome. And you've saved my life a few times so you can call this a repayment." I winked, pulling back.

"Very funny. Where's Elliot?"

"Downstairs with…oh um," I paused biting my lip again.

"What?" Danny curiously asked.

"Are you ready for one more thing of bad news today?"

"Better get it over with."

"Um, my brother knows about…" I pointed my finger to him.

"What? How?"

"Apparently you changed into your ghost form in the car. And Elliot slipped up."

"Great."

"I promise he won't tell. I would personally kill him myself."

"It's fine, it was bound to happen again some day that someone else found out. At least it wasn't Vlad."

"Glad you're thinking on the bright side. Come on, let's go get something to eat."

Three cities outside of town covered the fire. Headline after headline stated 'Carnival Gone Wrong- Firework mishap burns building'. The articles, they were all the same, it was one repeat after another. They were alleged that no one was in the building at the time of the fire since the place has been abandoned for years, but if there were people in it they were lucky to be alive. Police were still searching for where the firework hit and if there were remains of bodies in the building. Little did they know their own mayor was the cause of it, not a firework mishap. And he thought I was the only one who knew besides his guards, since ghost boy Danny Phantom was claimed to be dead to him, well, 100% dead now. I slammed the paper down on my kitchen table, Danny was sitting across from me. We left Elliot's a few hours ago, and my brother dropped us off here at my house. Jeremy went out with some friends and Elliot stayed behind at his place, so the two friends who were in the fire stayed together throughout the day. My parents were still out, so we had the house to ourselves. Thankfully for us, we both changed into fresh clothes and didn't have to stay in the ones that were a day old.

"They are so unbelievable." I handed the paper over to Danny.

"It's what everyone was supposed to believe, what do you except."

"Nothing other than that." I shook my head. Danny got up to go get another drink to help his throat, and I continued to sip on my tea. The kitchen got quiet.

"You didn't tell me your birthday was in a couple of weeks." Danny spoke up. I turned towards him; he was looking at Shylee's calender.

"Sorry, didn't mean to spy or anything. Just it caught my eye since it was all brightly colored." He laughed. Shylee always decorated the days of the birthdays on the calendar with balloon drawings and stuff like that. She was cute.

"It's fine. And yup, seventeenth birthday." I pursed my lips, Danny sat down again.

"You don't seem to happy about it."

"Don't get me wrong, I am, I've basically dreamed of it since I was like seven. Stupid, right? It's just sad that I always spent it with my friends back home doing traditions and stuff like that. That and I'm terrified of growing up. I feel like life's just racing by."

"I know what you mean. But don't worry, you're still a teenager it's not like you're thirty or something. I know you miss your old friends but we'll do something fun."

"Thank you. It'll be fun, I'm sure."

"So what do you want for a gift?"

"Absolutely nothing." I smiled.

"That's what everybody says to be nice, seriously what do you want?" He smirked, I looked at him shocked but with a wide smile on my face.

"Nothing!" I giggled.

"Right, you're going to make this harder on me."

"Fine, you know what I want? A day where we can pretend like we're normal, no ghost stuff."

"That's not a gift and we already tried that." He cocked his head, the door bell rang.

"Shut up." I laughed, getting up from my seat and walking to the door. I opened it only for my laugh and smile to be swept away and replaced by a low gasp.

"Hello Alexa." Vlad smirked, his hands held together. As always, he was dressed professionally in a clean cut black suit. I gulped, but it felt like there was a hard lump in my throat. A long black limo sat outside my driveway, Vlad's limo of course.

"Alexa, you okay?" Danny called from hearing me gasp.

"What do you want?" I asked with a straight face, not showing any emotion.

"Are your parents home?"

"No."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No." I hissed.

"Whose her—" Danny came up behind me and stopped talking once he saw Vlad.

"Well, I wanted to talk to them about our little event yesterday, along with my broken window and chair."

"What are you going to tell them? You locked me in your closet so you can go burn down a building? I'm sure that would sit well with everyone. Or how about how you dragged me against my will with your body guards? I'm sure someone might find that strange, or even take away your position. Get my parents involved and I'll tell him and everyone I know." I pointed to Danny.

"Don't test me little girl."

"Don't try me." I threatened back crossing my arms over my chest.

"You know that chair was expensive, as was the window."

"Well looks like you're going to have to replace it."

"Give me the money and I'll be out of your hair."

"Not happening, and if my parents were here, I'm sure that they would agree with me."

"I can have you in juvenile detention for such things."

"And I can have you in court, and I'm sure later jail. But I don't think you want that, do you?"

"No one will believe you when they hear about what I did."

"Oh I'm sure they're would be some evidence. Like, maybe, the burning building, or your lack of appearance and obsession the past few days over this. So if you tell, I tell."

"Fine! Now if you agree to not tell anyone about our little event last night, I'll drop the charges."

"Agreed. Now you have a good day and get the hell out of my house."

"Don't say what may come back to bite you Miss Pennington. Oh, and nice hand, does it have some of my imported window glass in it? Nice touch. Have a wonderful day." He turned on his heel and walked towards his limo. I shut the door and looked at Danny and let out a big breath.

"We're staying away from Vlad for now on." I bit my lip, nodding my head basically agreeing with myself.


	22. It's My Party And I'll Cry If I Want To

A/N: Hi guys! Long time no update, like a month. Sorry about that! School's been eating me up alive with my hard classes and so much homework. It sucks. But to all I promised an update from Thursday or Friday, I'm so sorry. I had to study for a test Thursday, so then I would update Friday, so when I tried, I lost internet. And I got it back today. At least it's back! Hooray. Anways, chapter 22, great! Alexa's birthday, enjoy it. Thanks for all the reviews guys! I appriciate them and I'm uploading much more now because I wrote future chapters! Thanks for staying with me :]

_**Chapter Twenty-Two**_

_**It's My Party And I'll Cry If I Want To**_

_**Chapter Song: Make It Without You by Andrew Belle**_

The moment my eyes opened this morning, it felt like it was just going to be one of those days I wanted to stay in bed because my thoughts were being taken over. And it felt like another painful morning, as if it was any other day. But in my mind, today was different. I kept my body buried under the covers for a while, just sitting completely still. The side of my head was pressed against the pillow and I was staring at the side of my room. My eyes shifted from looking at the window, the sheets, my hand, then back again. With a quiet sigh, I finally decided to get myself up. My bare feet brushed the cold wood of my floor when I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Pushing myself off the comfortable mattress, I headed towards the shut window in front of me. I pushed aside the curtains that were blocking the light, and stared out into the brightly lit street. Maple Street was unusually quiet this morning. The birds were quiet, an occasionally chirp here and there could be heard. The wind hardly rustled and only a jogger quietly passed his way through the sidewalk. Cars didn't speed down or put-put along the street, it was dead. The sky was a perfect shade of blue in my opinion, and it wasn't unbearably cold. It was perfect. Maybe today would be perfect, thinking positive was always the best option. Another sigh escaped me and I nodded my head to myself, and then started my daily routine.

The day began with a good start. The house had been quiet until I had walked out of my room twenty something minutes ago. My overly excited father and Shylee had welcomed me. Of course, like any other parent, he went on and on about he remembers the day I was born like it was yesterday, and he didn't know where the time went. Neither did I. Shylee did what she could, and wished me a very happy birthday and to enjoy it, not to wish to grow up to fast. Of course she couldn't say anything about the time flying or how I grew up so fast because she wasn't there. She didn't know me, not until two years ago that was. Before they left for work together, they mentioned several times 'happy birthday' and 'have a great day. I wonder how many times I was going to hear that today. Pushing aside the fact of how irrationally unhappy I was being, I walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed in a dark red tank top and dark blue skinny jeans. I made my way over to Jeremy's door and knocked on it.

"Jer, wake up." I said, but I heard nothing back from him. I opened his door to see him bundled up in his comforter, his face buried in the multiple pillows.

"Come on Jer." I walked through the room, my brother groaned into the pillow. I carelessly threw open his curtains that were blocking the light. Sunlight flooded into the room as they were pushed to the side.

"If you're not ready in fifteen minutes, I'm leaving without you." I sighed.

"Fine," his muffled voice from the pillow said.

"Meet me at the car when you're ready." I told him with barely any emotion. I walked towards the hallway.

"Okay." He said and he shuffled out of bed, "hey, Alexa." He said a little louder. I turned around, stopping myself in the doorframe.

"Happy birthday." He smiled.

"Thanks." I gave him back a halfhearted smile and a small nod. I took myself back to my room and opened my door, sighing and running my fingers through my hair while looking down at my floor. I couldn't help but feel almost depressed today, and there wasn't any reason for me to be feeling like this. I just couldn't figure it out, and it was bothering me. Last year, the same feeling had crept up on me. I talked to Jeremy about it a few days after; he said maybe it was because I was getting older and growing up, or even maybe because of how my mom was gone. Whatever it was, it continued to bother me.

"Happy birthday!" Two voices yelled the second I stepped in my room. My hand flew up to my heart.

"Oh my God!" I jumped, my heart racing a mile a minute.

"Surprise." Danny smiled. I closed my eyes, and let out a deep breath that I was holding in. My hand fell to my side.

"What are you guys doing here?" I wondered, closing my door behind me.

"Hanging in your room for like fifteen minutes for no reason." Elliot stupidly answered.

"You guys scared me to death." I said, walking over to where both boys stood and pulling them into a group hug.

"That's what we're here for." Elliot proudly admitted.

"Come on, it's your birthday, have some fun. And speaking of fun, here's your breakfast." Danny turned around and handed me a cupcake with a burning candle on the top.

"No, that is not for me."

"Oh yes they are."

"Guys, I don't even eat in the morning, it's way to early. And do you want me to get fat? Shylee got me a cake and Jenna said something about bringing cookies."

"Loosen up, it's only for a day. Besides, we'll be more than happy to eat the cookies if you don't."

"You're more than welcome to have them, Elliot. How about I save the cupcake for later and you can still have the cookies?"

"Deal. Now hurry up and make a wish before there's wax all over everything." Danny said. I smiled, looked down to the candle, closed my eyes and thought of my first birthday wish as seventeen years old. Once I thought of it, I blew out the burning flick with a simple breath.

"I can't believe you guys forced me to eat some of that." I told the boys as I slid on my black slouch boots. Once the snug boots were on, I grabbed my leather jacket and kept it by my side.

"Well you better be hungry by later." Danny said leaning against my wall.

"What? Why?"

"You, me, Elliot, Sapphire grill. Seven thirty."

"What? No. You guys really didn't have to!"

"But we did. It's your birthday dinner, dress up, do whatever you girls like to do." Elliot said, standing next to my dresser. He picked up one of my perfumes and sprayed it, then started coughing since he inhaled some.

"Elliot, you're an idiot. Come on, we're going to be late for school." Danny rolled his eyes and walked out of my room.

"Did you dive here?" I asked, Danny nodded. Once we were down the stairs I grabbed my backpack and yelled to Jeremy.

"Jeremy, don't bother waiting up for me. I've got a ride." Jeremy poked his head over the stair well.

"See ya." He shook his head and gave one quick chuckle. The boys and I piled into Danny's car. Since I was the birthday girl, I got shot gun while Elliot got to sit in the back. Danny turned on the radio and we all buckled up, awaiting our short drive.

Almost pulling into the schools parking lot, I felt my phone buzzing in the front pocket of my backpack.

"Hold on—" I stopped Danny from talking and answered the phone.

"Hello?" I answered, forgetting to look at the caller ID.

"Morning birthday girl! Where are you?" Jenna greeted bright and cheerfully.

"Hey. We're pulling into the parking lot."

"So I'll meet you in your spot?"

"No, Danny drove me today. Are you there yet?"

"Yeah, I just got here."

"Okay. I'll see you in a few then." After Jenna said her goodbye, I hung up and shoved my phone away.

"She's going to embarrass me so badly." I sighed, pressing my head against the headrest. Danny pulled into his parking spot and we all undid our seat belts and got out of the car. I slung my bag over my back and walked to the trunk, where I met Danny.

"You know, seventeen's not all that bad. At lest try to be happy." Danny comforted.

"I'm trying. It's hard to explain. I just, I don't know how I feel."

"Alexa! Alexa!" I heard Jenna's voice way behind me.

"And it begins." I whispered, pursing my lips and turning myself around, putting a fake smile on my face. You could see Jenna if she was coming down the road a mile away. It wasn't her simple jeans a shirt that made her obvious to the crowd, it was the two brightly colored birthday balloons in one hand, and a plastic grocery bag in the other.

"Hey." I waved over to her. Quickly turning to Danny, I looked at him for help.

"Balloons. She got me balloons." I pursed my lips.

"About that, surprise of the day…number two." He bit his lip and opened the trunk revealing a weighed down balloon.

"Oh my god." My hand went straight to my forehead and ran back to my hair. "You're killing me." I laughed.

"That's my job!" He chuckled with a smirk.

"If the best part of your job is to embarrass me, then you got it down pat." I pursed my lips, nodding.

"Just say 'Thank you Danny, I love my balloon so much, and thank you for not going with the over sized singing one that would have embarrassed me even more'."

"Thank you Danny, I love my balloon so much and thank you for not going for the over sized one that would have embarrassed me even more."

"That's more like it." He smirked.

"Happy birthday!" Jenna came up behind me, holding out the bag and balloons.

"Jenna, you know you really didn't have to do this, right?"

"Yeah I did! Who doesn't want food and balloons on their birthday? Besides, I really wanted to, you deserve it." She laughed. I gave her a fake laugh.

"Yeah. But, thank you, so much. You're the best." She embraced me in a hug and I tried as best as I could with my hands full to hug her back.

"Anyways, I've got to go serve a detention before Principal Hastings suspends me for being late to detention too." She aggravatedly said.

"It's fine. I'll see you later." I nodded to her, after one more goodbye and birtday wish, she walked off. Elliot got out of the back seat and walked over to us from the side of the car with his backpack on his back.

"I've got to go to class, I'll see you during lunch." Elliot patted my back.

"See you later." I quietly said.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we can go do something."

"As much as I don't want to, we've got to go to class, Danny."

"Do we have to?" He huffed. I smiled, biting my lip and nodding my head.

"Yeah, come on, let's go." I grabbed Danny's forearm with one free hand and started pulling him towards the school building.

"Happy birthday." Some girl, who I hadn't ever met before, said loud enough for others to look.

"Happy birthday Alexa."

"Alexa, it's your birthday? No way, happy birthday!" Another shouted.

"Hey Alexa, happy birthday!" More shouted. I wanted to hide my face. This was embarrassing and it made me feel so uncomfortable with everyone looking at me. After each birthday wish, I gave back a small smile and a quiet 'thanks'.

"Want to do me a favor and turn me invisible for the day?" I whispered to Danny.

"No, I wont do that. If you keep that up, I'll embarrass you more."

"I didn't know so many people knew my name let alone knew who I was. I don't think I've ever seen most of these people before."

"Just enjoy the attention. Aren't you having the least bit of fun?"

"I'll get back to you on that." I pursed my lips.

My fingers played with the cream-colored Jenny slip dress that was on my body. I had gotten the dress last year for my birthday, and I haven't worn it once, so today was the day to wear it. I couldn't help but look at myself in the floor mirror. I pointed out every single flaw in myself for the past few minutes, but I couldn't help but wonder why I did. I tried to make myself feel good for tonight; I had curled my hair into soft waves, did my make up perfectly, and listened to music. But my mind kept running, picking out flaws in how I looked and felt. School was almost painful today. For all those hours, I must have heard two hundred wishes for a good birthday from all different people, some I knew, and some I didn't. I looked down to my feet, which were placed into a pair of shiny beige pumps. As for now, I was trying to enjoy the rest of my birthday. There was a lot to look forward to for tonight, going out to my 17th birthday dinner with my two best friends. What could be better than that? Nothing. Tonight was going to be fine. And when I got out of school today, I could tell that the day was only going to get better. The second Jeremy and I pulled into the driveway; I was greeted by my loving father and step mother, with gifts, food, and balloons. More balloons. _Think positive Alexa,_ I told myself. I lifted my head back up and looked at myself in the mirror. But then I saw Danny in the mirrors reflection, standing against my doorframe. I let out a breath I'd been holding.

"You're early." I gave him a small smile, looking towards the mirror instead of turning around towards him.

"Well, you know those sayings, better three hours too soon than a minute too late." He smirked. I turned on my heels and faced Danny. His arms were crossed over his chest.

"Very funny."

"How was the rest of school? You left before I could find you." Danny walked over to my counter and picked up a baby picture of four year old Jeremy and three year old me hugging each other.

"I dealed." I answered; Danny traced his thumb over the glass frame.

"I got you something." He put the frame down. I opened my mouth to say something, but he cut me off.

"I know I promised not to buy anything, but I wanted to." He walked over to me and pulled a small turquoise box out of his back pocket. A white silk ribbon was holding it together. It was a Tiffany box.

"Oh my God." I whispered. While he held it, I undid the bow, and he took off the top, revealing a silver oval locket sitting on a square of cotton. I stood there in silence, dumbfounded. I was staring at the expensive and beautiful necklace in awe, had Danny really just given this to me?

"Danny…" I looked up to him.

"Do you like it?"

"It's gorgeous." I quietly answered, looking back to the locket.

"I saw it a few days ago, and I thought you really like it."

"I love it" I looked back up to him, "thank you."

"You're welcome." He smiled to me. I took it out of the box and held it by the chain.

"Can you put it on?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, of course." I took it from me. I turned around towards the mirror once again. Danny's hands came around to the front of my neck to the back. I pulled my hair aside and let him lock the clasp. Once he was done and the clasp was closed, I let down my hair and turned around.

"Thanks again, so much."

"It's really no problem. Hey, happy birthday." He put his arms out.

"Like I haven't heard that enough today." I shook my head but embraced him.

"Say cheese!" Elliot rang. Danny leaned in towards me as Elliot took a picture of us with his fancy camera. My birthday cake, which had also been another surprise, was in front of me with its burning candles.

"Make a wish." Danny smiled. I closed my eyes and started thinking. What was the most perfect thing to wish for? Maybe something that I'd been wanting for a long time? No, it had to be better. I wish for the better. I want everything in my life to start being normal and okay again. Everything needed to normal up. I blew out my candles, and even with my eyes closed, I could see the camera flash on Elliot's camera go off.

"What'd you wish for?" Elliot asked.

"You don't tell other people your wish, Elliot." I looked up, cocking my head.

"Not fair. Let's eat the cake already." He whined. I giggled quietly.

"Come on guys, what are we, five?" Danny asked. I swiped a finger across the side of the cake, taking a glob of white frosting with it. I leaned my arm over to Danny and wiped it on his nose. He turned to me, shocked.

"Now we are." I smirked, then I put my index finger in my mouth, getting off the extra frosting. Elliot started laughing and Danny took a napkin getting sugary treat off his face.

"I'll get you back for this." He joked. Finally, I was enjoying my birthday.

Danny's black Traverse stopped in front of my driveway. He put the car into parked and looked to me. We had already dropped off Elliot, so we'd been alone for the past ten or fifteen minutes talking about stuff other than my birthday.

"Thanks for the ride home." I unbuckled my seat belt, and grabbed Elliot's gift, which was placed in a large silver gift bag with a lot of tissue paper.

"No problem." Danny said.

"And thanks, for the best birthday ever. It really meant a lot."

"You know you don't have to keep thanking me, right?"

"I know, but I just, I really wanted to."

"Well, once again tonight, you're so welcome. Will I be seeing you tomorrow?"

"Bright and early." I smiled. At least tomorrow was Friday; I couldn't bear with going to school for a few more days this week. A weekend was defiantly needed.

"See you tomorrow." He smiled. I got out of the car and walked up my driveway. My heels echoed throughout the street as they clicked on the concrete driveway. Turning the door knob, I opened the front door and turned around to see if Danny was still there. He was. I waved to him and stepped into my house, closing the door behind me. The house was silent, but the lights were still on.

"Alexa? Is that you?" I heard Shylee call from the kitchen. She sounded tired.

"Yeah, Shylee. Sorry, I just got home." I walked into the kitchen to find her in a pair of long purple pajama pants and a tank top. She opened a cabinet and put a cup into it.

"That's fine, I was just about to go to bed. You're just in time. How was dinner?"

"Great. I had a really good time."

"That's great! So you had a good birthday?"

"After all, I think I did."

"That's wonderful. What's that on your neck?"

"Huh? Oh, the necklace. It's a present, from Danny."

"_Wowww_," Shylee dragged on, "that looks expensive."

"It is. Tiffany's."

"My God. Is this a boyfriend girlfriend thing? Because we never used to do this back in my day."

"No, it's just a friend thing. We're not going out."

"Right, let's go with that. Well, if Danny got you the necklace, I'm suspecting that Elliot's present is in the bag?"

"Yeah. He got me this tote bag I really wanted."

"Well somebody got a lot of fancy things tonight."

"Yeah, I really did. And thanks for my gift by the way, I love it."

"You're welcome sweetheart. Listen, I'm exhausted so I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

"Sure thing, I'm pretty tired, I think I'm gonna get going too."

"There's more cake in the fridge if you want any."

"I've had way to much cake today, I'll pass." I smiled.

"Thought so. Have a good night." She hugged me and left for her room. I sighed, glancing around the still and empty kitchen. I tried smiling for a second, but it fell. I walked over to the lights and shut them off, walking into pitch black.

When I arrived in my room, I set down the gift bag on my counter and took off my heels, setting them back in my closet. I walked over to my bed, turning the nightstand lamp on and looking at a 'Happy Birthday' teddy bear sitting against my pillows. A card signed by Jeremy sat next to it. With a smile, I put the bear and card on my nightstand. After changing into a pair of pajama shorts and a soft jacket, I walked out of my bathroom with my dress and hung it back up on a hanger in my closet. Then I heard a buzzing. I looked beyond my closet door and saw my phone lighting up on my dresser. Closing the closet door, I made my way over to the dresser and to my phone. The caller ID read 'blocked'. Maybe it was Jackson or Rosie, my friends back home who had messaged me earlier saying they would call me tonight. Or maybe it was one of my friends here.

"Hello?" I picked it up, not thinking anything of it.

"Happy birthday, Alexa." A familiar voice said in a low and non-emotional tone. I knew that voice, it was in the back of my mind, it was so familiar and it was on the tip of my tongue.

"Mom?" My voice lowered, almost cracking. The other end of the phone clicked, and then the dial tone rang in my ears. I took the phone away from my ear and stared at it's black screen. My reflection looked back at me, I was scared, stunned, or just plain confused. Was that really her or was it just some prank call? After fourteen years of no calls, messages, letters, or visits, I heard my mother's voice.


	23. He's Back

**A/N: Hi guys! Sorry I've not been updating as much. School teachers give me way to many tests and homework! That and I've been hooked on watching episodes of The Secret Circle and The Vampire Diaries. Two most amazing shows by Kevin Williamson! He's such a genius lol. So anyways, this chapter is part 1 of 2. And the Chapter Song (Say When- The Fray) is the Story song. I didn't know where to put it, but it goes so perfectly with the whole story line (Especially future chapters). Well please enjoy and review! **

_Chapter Twenty-Three_

_He's Back_

_Chapter Song: Say When by The Fray_

The sun was just beginning to set upon Savannah, Georgia. And while most people were out gladly partying with their friends, I was unhappily sitting in Danny's room with too much on my mind. Elliot had left a half hour ago since he'd been forced to go on a business dinner with his family, so Danny and I were sitting by ourselves in complete silence. Every so often I'd check my phone to see if I got any messages, emails, missed calls, voicemails, or anything from any unknown or known callers. Really, I was looking for any caller that could be the one from last night, my mom. I had a feeling Danny knew something was up, but since I decided not to tell him about last night's events, he was confused about just what was going on. It wasn't that bad that I was hiding this from him, right? He wouldn't understand, would he? I didn't even understand myself, so I doubted he would. After thinking about it instead of getting a nights sleep, I was assured that the voice belonged to my mom. I had flashbacks of when I was little of her talking, cooing to me. It was like I remembered it to well. But why now, why would she suddenly decide on my seventeenth birthday to call me after fourteen years. Why not my sixteenth birthday or my eighteenth birthday? Why now?

"Alexa? Alexa." Danny's voice came into my hearing range. Had he been talking this whole time? I thought the room was silent.

"Huh?" I turned my head and attention towards him, instead of looking out the window. My fingers were wrapped around the locket Danny gave me yesterday; I still hadn't taken it off.

"Did you hear anything I just said?" He curiously asked, cocking his head. I hesitated to answer, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"No, sorry." I apologized. I looked down to my phone. It was still blank. And before Danny could answer, I spoke up again. "I um, I better go." I stood up with my phone clutched in my hand.

"What?"

"Yeah, I'm—I'm sorry."

"Okay. Um, do you want me to drive you home?" He asked, standing up as well.

"No, I'm gonna walk. I'll see you later." I nodded, walking out of his room and eventually out the front door of the three-story apartment building his family owned. While walking down the last step, the door behind me opened.

"Alexa." Danny stood in the doorframe. I turned back to him, keeping a straight face.

"Are you okay?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed. I hesitated to answer, so I just shook my head at first.

"No." I admitted.

"Okay. What's going on? All day there's been something up, you've haven't been hearing half the things I've said all day, you've obviously been deep in thought, and you keep checking your phone every five minutes. What's up?" Danny wondered. I had been checking my phone abnormally often, I guess he did notice. Danny and I were walking down the street and sunset had already started. In less than fifteen minutes it was going to get dark and I preferred to be home. There was nobody around, it was like the streets were empty tonight.

"Last night, after you dropped me off, I went up to my room and a few minutes later, I got a phone call."

"A phone call? From who?"

"My mom."

"What?"

"Danny, my mom called me last night."

"Your real mom?"

"Yeah." I said with mixed feelings, "I just don't understand why."

"What did she say?"

"Happy birthday."

"That was it?"

"That was it. I recognized her voice and I asked if it was her, then she hung up."

"Are you sure it was her?"

"That was her voice, it had to be. It's exactly how I remember it."

"What could she possibly want?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. It's been fourteen years since I've seen let alone heard a word from her. Why now?"

"Does anyone else know?"

"No. I couldn't tell Jeremy, he'd wonder why she didn't call him. He was a wreck when she left us. Even with being that little I remember him crying for months. And my dad, he would start freaking out. He hasn't heard from her either. He doesn't even know why she left in the first place, there wasn't anything going on with their relationship. No fighting, no money problems, no affairs, nothing. We came home one day, and she was gone. And so was her stuff."

"She didn't say anything to your dad?"

"She left us a note saying 'I'm sorry'."

"I don't even know what to say, it's just so confusing."

"Yeah, you're telling me. I guess I should just take my mind off it. I don't know, maybe she'll call again, maybe she won't." I reasoned.

"Thinking positively, I like it."

"I don't, I'm usually the girl who just wants answers when something happens. I'll deal. I just need something to take my mind off it." I sighed. And with that, Danny's ghost sense went off.

"And I think I just found that something." I stared at him. We looked around the abnormally empty street but saw nothing out of the ordinary. We looked ahead of us; only a brick dance studio was ahead.

"A dance studio?" Danny commented.

"Nothing seems wrong." I noticed. Being it was Friday night; the studio assumingly had closed hours ago. All its teachers and dancers had gone home to be with their families, and it was left without protection with whatever was in it. Danny and I walked up to the front of the dance studio. I was wrong, it had been closed for a while. There was a white sign that read 'Closed for construction. Will re-open November 29th'. It's glass doors were locked, and all you could see was darkness. The last bits of sunset were reflecting off the front doors, making it complicated to see in. Danny transformed and looked over to me with his hand out.

"What?" I asked, looking at his covered palm.

"You think I'm leaving you out here alone?"

"No, of course not, why would I think that." I sarcastically said, grabbing a hold of Danny's hand. Turning intangible and invisible were two feelings you couldn't describe, no matter how hard you tried. Your whole body felt weightless and airy, like you were nothing. Seconds later, we appeared inside the studio. Everything was motionless, and the air was thick, like the air conditioning hadn't been turned on. Beside me, Danny's ghost sense went off, sending a shiver through his body to mine. I pulled my hand away from his; not even noticing it was still intertwined with his. The dance studio wasn't like many; there was only the room we were standing in, the front room, and one actual dance room. We walked past the front desk and into the next room to find it just as empty as the front room. Each footstep I took in my sneakers echoed thought the building. The dance room was huge; its high ceilings seemed to go on forever. Mirrors were plastered on the walls, giving us a 360 view of the room. A few were broken, and on the floor. There wasn't much here besides a tool box in the corner of the room, planks of wood, and a foldable table. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so what was going on? The lights were turned off, only giving us the small last bits of sunlight coming through the rows of windows circling the whole room on the top of the tall walls. The sun was basically set, so there wasn't much to help us. And I couldn't see the lightswitch anywhere.

"I don't get it." Danny said, walking up to me.

"Neither do I." My voice bounced off the walls.

"Maybe it was just a mistake." He shrugged. Everything was to quiet, to still, and to normal. And with Danny's ghost sense going off, it was all too suspicious.

"No," I paused. "It's to much of a coincidence." I said, but right after I spoke, a high pitched shattering noise came from the other end of the room. We flipped around, catching the last few glimpses of one of the top windows from the other side of the room crashing down. Immediately proceeding, the window right next to it exploded into a thousand tiny shards and hit the ground. Then the window right next to that. It was like a chain reaction, they kept coming. Not even realizing I did it, I gasped. This was all happening in a matter of seconds, and we weren't reacting quickly enough. The first walls of windows were all blown out, and then the next wall started to blow out, which was closer to us. Before I knew it, Danny grabbed me and we were running. He flipped over the plastic folding table and used it as a guard towards the falling glass. He put his body over me for protection until we heard the explosions of glass stopped. We both got up to see three ghosts floating near where the first explosion started; they all had large sacks in their hands.

"What the—" Danny looked at them, then back to me, "stay here." He directed. And I did.

"You know, this might be illegal." Danny flew over to them. Him and his stupid catch phrases, I rolled my eyes.

"Phantom." One of them hissed.

"Weird, you know me, I just don't know you." He stared at them. I wanted to yell at him, telling him to start fighting but I held it back. After a series of exchanging words back and forth with each other, they began going at it. Being that it was three against one, we all knew how this was going to turn out. Badly. And after a few minutes, Danny ended up on the ground. The three unknown ghosts flew out, and I got up out of my hiding spot. Danny stood up.

"Are you okay?" I asked, beginning to walk over to him.

"Just say here. I'll be right back." He looked at me, then started flying up.

"Wait? What?" I said louder, watching him fly out of the building, just as the ghosts had.

"Danny!" I yelled. But he was gone. Did he really just leave me here?

"Danny?" My voice echoed throughout the building, I was alone. A shiver was sent up my spine, I was standing alone in a crime scene at night with broken glass surrounding me. And there wasn't anybody here. Being the stubborn person that I was, I ran out of the dance studio and out to the front of the building. Night had fallen, and it was dark outside. But I saw Danny, flying far up ahead. And I began running, and running, and running. The farther I followed Danny, the sketchier the neighborhoods got. I felt like at any second I was going to get jumped, but everything seemed pretty deserted. Eventually, Danny flew down, and I was able to catch up to him. He was peaking his head out from behind the protection of a broken down cement hut, which didn't even have a roof anymore.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" I came up to him, out of breath from running. He snapped his head around and then put his hand over my mouth, signaling for me to be quiet. I nodded my head.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to stay where you were?"

"Didn't I ever tell you I don't listen?" I replied. "now, what's going on?" I asked.

"Them." He nodded over with his head. Past a few trees, there was a sandy lot occupied with a circus tent. Three ghosts and a man were standing in a circle. Well, the man was standing…the ghosts were hovering. I could see their mouths moving, and faintly hear voices, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Can you hear what they're saying?" I whispered. Danny nodded his head. But then I heard the talking stop. The man looked around and then in the direction of us. Danny and I stopped breathing, fearing what was to come next.

"You idiots." The man said to the ghosts loud enough for me to hear. And he began walking toward us. Danny grabbed my arm and turned us invisible.

"Don't move." He whispered, moving me farther away from where I was, pressing my back against the cement of the building. The man walked up to the area we were in.

"Helloooo." The man dragged on. "Is anybody here?" He seemed pretty innocent. But indeed he was creepy looking.

"Phantom, I know you're here, you can come out now." He chuckled. The man paced, digging a golden stick into the ground.

"Okay, you want to play like that? We can do this the hard way." He shrugged. He threw the golden stick up in the air, catching it on the side that was sticking into the dirt. He firmly grasped it, and swung it against the wall. It hit right where my head would have been. I silent breathed out a breath of relief and closed my eyes. The mans eyebrows rose, he shrugged and walked away. Danny waited till the man walked farther away, then he grabbed my wrist and we began walking—running away. We ran all the way down the street, still invisible, and then stopped. Danny let go of my hand, letting me turn visible and he appeared in front of me.

"Let me have your phone." He put out his hand. I dug into my jean pocket and got my phone, placing it in Danny's hand. He immediately dialed a number and put the phone to his ear.

"Hey, where are you? No, I know you're in the middle of the dinner, but what restaurant? The one down town? Okay, find an excuse to leave. Anything. Me and Alexa are gonna pick you up. Stop asking questions, you'll see. You won't believe whose back in town. I'll talk to you when I get you, be ready in fifteen." He hung up and handed me back the phone.

"So you do know him?"

"Let's get to my car and I'll explain." He promised.

Danny's black Ford Edge sat in the driveway alone. His parents Passat wasn't anywhere to be seen in the driveway, so they must have still been out on date night. The second the car was turned on, Danny pulled out of the driveway.

"Okay tell me what's going on. Who is this guy?"

"That guy is named Freakshow. To give a rundown of his, he's not a ghost. In fact, he hates them."

"What? But where were ghosts with him."

"They're his side kicks or something like that. He used to run some creepy circus but that got shut down after I got him arrested after a long story of his ghosts breaking into banks and stuff. Now he's back and my guess is that he either was released or broke out from jail."

"Wait, when was all this?"

"Way before you came."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. But I've got to figure it out."

"Then how is Elliot involved with this?"

"He thinks of plans better than I do."

Seven minutes later, we pulled up to the sidewalk of some expensive restaurant on East River Street. Thanks to Danny's excessively fast driving, we got here sooner than planned. Austin walked out of the restaurant, and he looked worried as he turned his head both ways. He ran into the back seat of Danny's car.

"This better be good because I told my parents that I was getting some air and they were pissed."

"It is." Danny put the car into park and turned the radio lower.

"So, whose back?" Elliot asked, as Danny was about to open his mouth to talk.

"Freakshow."

"Wasn't he in jail?"

"I thought so." Danny replied, I kept my mouth shut and just listened.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Elliot wondered.

"I don't know. He's not a ghost, so he's not a complete threat."

"But his ghosts are?"

"Well, if they're there, yeah. They'll do anything to defend him."

"So wait until their gone robbing a bank or something again, and then go talk to him or something. You have ghost sense, you can tell when they're there or not. What's the worst he can do, throw his stick at you?"

"I guess. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow or Sunday? I don't know."

"Hey man, you're Danny Phantom, the sooner the better so you get the town saved and blah, blah, blah."

"Very funny. See, this is why you're the plan maker. Now get out of the car and go finish your little dinner."

"If I get killed by my dad later, I'm blaming it on you."

"I'll be expecting help on my math homework, so he better hold out on you till Monday." Danny joked.

"Ohh, same with me. So yeah, what he said." I agreed. Elliot rolled his eyes and opened the car door.

"I've got to get new friends." He laughed and shut the door.

Monday rolled around quickly, and as usual, the weekend flew by. And Danny was the one dreading the weekends end the most. Meaning, he was dismaying talking to Freakshow, or whomever that guy was. While on the phone with him Saturday, he told me how much of a good feeling he didn't have about this. Every time I told him just get the ghosts in the thermos and take down Freakshow with help from actual authorities, it might be a little easier. He didn't listen to me. And since I haven't heard from him since Saturday, my guess was that he went to talk to him last night, and stayed there for a while, fighting him. But that was my guess why he hadn't been in first period, or let alone classes for most of the day. I texted him a few times, and so did Elliot, but there was no reply. That was, until Elliot and I were walking to my car during lunch.

"Do you think he's o—" Elliot started to speak.

"Danny?" I said, looking at the figure in front of me.

"Yes Danny, who else would I be talking about?" Elliot asked, I rolled my eyes.

"Look in front of you." I demanded. "Danny." I called louder. He turned around, and it was him.

"Oh, hi." He said strangely, then looked to me, having an odd look on his face, almost as if he was worried.

"Hi…" What was wrong with him?"

"Why haven't you been in classes like half the day?" Elliot asked.

"I overslept, you know, usual stuff." He said stiffly.

"Alright…so, how was last night?" I finally brought up.

"Fine." He casually answered like nothing had happened.

"Fine? Aren't you going to say anything about what happened? Did you kick Freakshow's ass? Anything?" Elliot asked.

"It was fine. I've got to get going, see you later." Danny said.

"Wait, Danny. You just got here, why are you leaving? The days not even over."

"I've got family stuff to attend. I'll see you all later." He ran off. Elliot and I exchanged looks, I sighed.

"What was that all about?" Elliot wondered.

"I-I don't even know." I shook my head, trying to understand what just happened.

We didn't hear from Danny last night. Not a word. Not a phone call, not a text, not even a visit, he just decided he didn't have to explain whatever was going on. But again, he wasn't in school today. It didn't matter how many times we tried to reach him, his phone went to voicemail. While sitting in Chemistry waiting for the bell to ring, I looked over to Danny's empty seat and couldn't help think but what was going on with him. And I continued to think that until the bell rang. School was over. Since Jeremy had gone on a senior class trip till tomorrow, my dad and I switched cars for the day. So I had the black Pacifica and my parents took the mustang to work. That must have been a sight.

"Miss Pennington." A grouchy voice spoke up just as I was going to leave the room. I turned on my heel and looked over to the desk where Dr. Kingston sat on his laptop.

"Yeah?"

"You're good friends with Daniel, right? Do you know where he is?"

"Haven't heard from him in a few days. He's probably sick or something, sorry."

"Don't worry. If you do hear from him, tell him that he has to make up yesterday's test sometime soon."

"Will do. Thanks Dr. Kingston." I walked out of the room and to the car. Once I got in it, I threw my bag into the back seat and blasted the air conditioning up. Then I pulled out of school, but I wasn't heading towards home.

Parking on the side of the street to Danny's apartment building, I parked the car and walked up the sidewalk. _He better be here_, I thought. I walked up the few steps and knocked on the door, waiting for an answer from somebody. And I got one, but it wasn't the exact person I was looking for.

"Hi Mrs. Taylor, I was just wondering, is Danny here by any chance?"

"Hi sweetie, how are you? I'd love to tell you he is, but he stayed at Elliot's last night. So, wrong house for once."

"Oh right, it slipped my mind that he was there. Sorry for the trouble, but thanks anyways." I lied through my teeth with a fake half smile.

"Don't worry about it, tell hope everything's good with you." She said sweetly.

"Same here." I nodded, she shut the door. I hopped down the steps and dialed Elliot quickly.

"Hello?"

"Danny's not with you by any slim chance, right?" I asked, standing on the sidewalk and not getting in my car just yet.

"Nope. Why?"

"I just went to his house and his mom said he was staying at your place."

"What? No. He told her that?"

"Yeah."

"That's weird. I wonder what's going on." He thought. And my mind traced back to everything he had said on Friday and Saturday about Freakshow and how he was worried.

"Elliot, I think I know where he is." I admitted.


	24. Compelled

**A/N: Here you guys go! Sorry that took a little longer than expected, this was complicated to write! But onwards we go. Chapter 24 and I'm excited to write the next chapter :] Review por favor! **

_Chapter Twenty-Four_

_Compelled_

_Chapter Song: E.T by Katy Perry_

However minutes later you could find myself in the car at a stoplight. Elliot sat beside me, typing quickly into his PDA. Ever so often he would scroll, searching through articles about Freakshow and the latest news in Savannah.

"Here! Found one. 'Local Ghost Boy caught on security camera stealing money from First Chatham Bank with group of ghosts."

"What? No. That can't be him." I opposed.

"It sure looks like him. They've got a picture. Sure it's pixilated, but I know Danny when I see him."

"Well, then that blows out half of what I thought was going on. I thought he just got kidnapped."

"There's got to be something more than that. He was acting nuts when we saw him. Unless they have something on him, and I mean something pretty bad, he wouldn't be bank robbing a place."

"Even if they did have something on him he wouldn't be bank robbing."

"You've got a point. But I'm still confused, where are we going?"

"I thought I told you this already. We're paying a little visit to the circus."

"What? No!" Elliot interjected.

"Do you want to save Danny or not?"

"If it means saving my ass then I'll choose not."

"You're honestly one of the biggest baby I've ever met." I rolled my eyes.

"Fine, then you go alone to get him."

"I'm not going to do that because you're not going to let me. Believe me, I probably would if you weren't here. Besides, you've been doing this much longer than I have." I pointed out. Elliot raised a brow and turned his head towards me.

"Don't blame me. You're the one that originally didn't want to be involved with this. You should have kept it at 'stay away from me' and 'I don't want to talk to you'." Elliot put air quotes around his words.

"Well, things changed." I sighed.

"Things? Like feelings?" He nudged.

"Elliot, that's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

"The point is to get in, get Danny, and get out. Plain and simple."

"It sounds a lot easier than it'll be."

"I know. But we've got to get him back somehow."

"Why do you want him back so bad?" Elliot shoved his PDA in his pocket.

"He's our friend. Do _you_ not want him back?"

"Of course I do. I was just wondering." He said, pulling back a smile.

"Right…what the—who the hell else is here?" I pulled into the parking lot to find it completely filled with cars. Empty cars. There were a few straggling people, all wearing black, walking in the front entrance of the tent. I parked the car, which blended in with every other black car here, and got out of it with Elliot. I could hear a voice coming over a microphone, but it was muffled.

"So I'm guessing going in the front entrance is a no-go?" Elliot looked at me. I gave a fake, short, laugh.

"Right on. First try too." I sarcastically said. We took ourselves around the side of the building and began to search for an entry.

"Very funny. Now let's find a way in. By my calculations it should be opposite side of the front entrance, so we should walk around about thirty—"

"Elliot." I stopped walking, he continued.

"feet and we probably can find—"

"Elliot!" That finally stopped him. He turned around to look at me. I pulled back the slit in the tent to reveal a hidden door. This place was an actual building, not just a tent.

"Right, I knew that." He nodded, his face turning red from embarrassment. Stealthily, we made our way through the door and quietly shut it behind us. We were in some lousy storage room. There were a few crates, ropes, and boxes, but more importantly there wasn't any Danny. I walked ahead of Elliot, who stood next to the door scared like a little girl.

"This is useless." I sighed.

"Agreed." He took a few steps towards me, looking over the crates for any clues. This wasn't going to be some Blue's Clue's game, there wasn't any clue's to find. We needed to find Danny, and there were no clues that said he was here.

"See anything?" I turned my head to him. His eyes bugged out and he nodded.

"Yes." His voice shook in fear. Furrowing my brows confused, I turned my head back around and was greeted by a floating ghost in front of me. I gasped and didn't know what to do. I felt like I should run, but at the same time I felt like if I ran, he would snap my neck or kill me. The ghost didn't look at Elliot once; he stared at me for what seemed like ever. It was making me uncomfortable. The only sounds were from our breathing and whatever else was going on in the main part of the tent.

"Can someone please tell me what all this commotion about you fi—" The same creepy looking man from the other day pulled back another curtain that revealed the main room for a split second, I couldn't see much because I was overcome with fear. Freakshow gave an odd, short, laugh.

"Very good. You're dismissed. Onto your act." He ordered the ghost. It disappeared in seconds. The circus director gave me an evil smile, and then began circling me like I was some statue at a museum.

"Ah, let's see. Very unique. A double. I've heard about this. That could be used in my show." He commented, eyeing me curiously. What was he talking about? I wanted to say something, but I stood completely still with my hands at my side. I didn't even think Elliot, who was many feet behind me, was moving. Freakshow stopped in front of me.

"But not without the original. So you're useless for now." He hissed. I let out a breath I was holding in.

"Who are you?" He asked me, I felt like I had to tell him everything, and it wasn't like he was a ghost, he wasn't compelling me. I was just scared he was going to hurt me if I said one thing wrong.

"Alexa."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"What are you?"

"I'm human."

"Are you sure?" he laughed.

"Yes." I gulped.

"Where's Anna?"

"Who?"

"Who is he?" he looked over to Elliot.

"My friend."

"And I suppose you're here for the boy."

"Where is he?" Elliot asked, coming into the conversation.

"Oh, I can show you exactly where he is." Freakshow smirked. Oh boy, we were headed for a load of trouble, I could tell by the expression on the villains face. He led us out into the main room, where we were greeted by hundreds of people. It was a sea of black purple, and navy. Most of the people could been seen wearing spiky jewelry and crosses around their neck. There wasn't one blonde or brunette in the crowd, they all had jet black hair, all styled differently.

"What did we get ourselves in to?" Elliot whispered to me.

"The sooner we find Danny, the better." I replied.

"Children, welcome to my freak circus." Freak show put an arm out, displaying his bore of a circus.

"Thanks but if you don't mind we'll be going." Elliot nodded his head and turned around, but stopped in his place. I looked over to see what was stopping him, and it was a ghost floating in some look alike grim reaper cloak.

"Oh of course you have to stay and watch the main event. Who am I kidding, you're part of it!" Freakshow gave off a sinister laugh. Before I knew it, I felt my hands being pulled behind my back by something tough and scratchy. Rope. I looked at Elliot and the ghost in the cloak, he had finished tying my hands behind my back and now he was on to Elliot.

"Danny better appreciate what we go through for him." Danny. That's right.

"Where's Danny?" With my voice raised, I asked the man.

"The stupid ghost boy? Dumb girl, he's behind you." He rolled his eyes. "And I thought ghosts were aggravating." He mumbled. But there was only the cloaked ghost here…unless the cloaked ghost was Danny. It couldn't, it wasn't…it can't be him.

"Don't believe me? Ghost boy, take your hood off." And sure enough, it was Danny. But it the only thing different about this Danny, was that his eyes were dark red. It was like the contacts you would see actors wearing in those vampire movies, but the worst thing was, that he wasn't wearing contacts.

"Elliot, what's wrong with his eyes?" I stuttered. My hands were uncomfortable being tied behind my back. I tried breaking out of them, but they were tied fairly tight.

"As much as I love admitting that I know everything—I don't know this time." Danny grabbed our upper arms and began pulling us forward. He dragged us over to a pole and then threw us down right then and there. Elliot and I toppled over onto the sandy floor.

"Danny! You can't do this, we're your friends!" I shouted.

"I don't have friends." He said in a monotone voice, like he didn't even have a soul or a thought in his head. This wasn't Danny. Sure it was his body, but there was something wrong.

"What? Oh my god, what did you do to him?" I yelled to Freakshow.

"I'm controlling him." He simply waved me off. I turned to Elliot, looking for an answer.

"What do you mean?" Elliot asked him.

"Ugh, so many questions! Like all my other ghosts here, I can control him with this." He said, holding a golden stick I didn't even notice before. He waved it in front of Danny, who stared at it blankly.

"If they try to run, break them." He ordered.

"I'd be happy too." He said with a threatening smirk.

"This can't be happening." I buried my head in my knees and shifted my uncomfortable arms.

Five minutes later, I decided I wouldn't just sit here and let my friends and myself be destroyed like this. I looked to Elliot, who was looking away from me with a frown. I had to do something.

"Is Freakshow looking?" With a hushed voice, I asked him. His head popped up and looked at me strangely.

"No he's facing the other way…" Elliot hesitated. Good. With cleverly thinking of a way to get myself untied, I finally got the perfect plan. My wrists were bound together by rope, so as slyly as possibly, I lifted myself up and scooted my arms so they were now near my upper legs.

"Alexa, don't. You'll get yourself killed." Elliot calmly stated. Though he was the same age as Danny and I, he often acted like the eldest of us, thinking beyond our years.

"Do you not see the problem here? He has Danny under his control and we're as good as dead if he keeps this up."

"If you move, he'll hurt you."

"Calm down, I have a plan." I whisered. With my legs being bent, I slowly bent them even more, finally putting one foot inside the little circle my tied arms made. I slid my leg through and there it was, one leg was out. Then I repeated the same step and managed to have my bounded arms in front of me now. Elliot looked at me with a mixture of happiness and confusion.

"How'd you learn to do that?" He smiled.

"You'd be surprise how much a thought can take you."

"So what's your genius plan?"

"His stick." I began.

"What? That's your plan? What about it?"

"You see that red ball on the top?"

"Yeah."

"I'm almost positive that's what he's controlling Danny with. He waved it in front os him to get his attention and well, it did. What if we broke it?"

"What do you mean we?"

"What if I broke it? Like if it smashed onto the ground."

"It would either get Danny out of his trance or keep him in there forever."

"What if I was holding it? I could tell him to go back to normal."

"That could be very possible, but it's to risky."

"It's not us I'm worried about, it's Danny."

"You're really hooked on saving him." He said with a smile, I rolled my eyes.

"Let me untie you." I whispered. Elliot moved his way over to me and I began to fiddle with the rope tied around Elliot's wrists. Eventually, thanks to my long nails, I got the knot out. From my point of view, that was pretty good for somehow who had their hands tied together. I gave my wrists over to Elliot and he secretly began to untie them. He got them out.

"Now wrap it around my hands, make it look like it's tied." I ordered.

"What? Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm just desperate for a way out." He did what I said. I stood up and walked towards Danny who was in his ghost form with, who also wasn't facing me. I stopped a few feet in back of him.

"Hey Freakshow." I yelled, getting his attention. Danny, and Freakshow, turned around looking at me.

"If they run I will break something." Danny repeated in his lifeless voice. His eyes flashed red and then he came after me.

"I'm sorry for this Danny, but you'll appreciate this later." Before everyone knew it, I used myself as a weapon. I swung my fakely tied arms at Danny's head, sending him to the ground.

"Ow!" He yelled and looked up from his spot on the ground.

"Alexa?" He looked confused. It was Danny. Normal Danny.

"Danny." I let out a breath of relief, un-doing the ropes.

"Come on, let's go." I told him.

"What if I don't want to go." That same evil voice was back. His eyes flashed red and then I felt hands on my shoulders. Ghosts appeared in front of me, and I felt the presence of ghosts behind me.

"No you idiots! Don't kill her! She can be valuable. Take the boy, he's useless." Freak show nodded off. Elliot's face went into panic mode. He looked at me, and I exchanged the same look to him.

"Correction for your statement before, I'm as good as dead!" he yelled. He got up and undid his ropes and backed up, trying to escape his fate.

"Do something! Run and I'll try—"

"Oh no, you're not going to try anything." Frakshow put his hand down on my shoulder and grabbed me, walking quickly away from Danny. "You've been a little to much of a nuisance already, interfering with my plans and ruining this show. I don't care how much you're worth this is getting old." I looked at the stick in his hand opposite from me. The crystal ball on top of it was glowing red.

"And I don't care how much this show is worth but you kidnapping my friends is getting old." I kicked him in the shin. He doubled over in pain, falling to the ground. The stick was now in my possession, it was in my hands.

"Danny!" My glowing eyed compelled friend turned to me.

"Go back to normal." I yelled. I watched as him and the other ghosts look at the ball and their eyes flashed red, then back to their normal color. Like everything just stopped, they froze. The other ghost dropped Elliot onto the ground. They were all back to normal, at least I thought they were. I grabbed the crystal sphere and threw it onto the ground, only for it to be smashed into a thousand pieces.

"No!" Freakshow cried. He picked himself up and charged at me. Before I could even noticed he shoved me to the ground and the staff was out of my hand. He picked it up from the sand and began walking towards me.

"I'm not gonna have some little girl mess up my plan. I don't like people that help out ghosts, and that means you." He screeched and took a swung at me with the golden stick. Before it came in contact with me, I rolled my body over and away from the danger. He took another swing at me, but this time he fell to the ground. I looked up to see Danny in front of me.

"Please tell me you're normal again." I gulped. He put out his hand as an offering to help me up.

"Define normal."

"Thank god." I laughed, taking his hand and getting myself off the ground.

"Hey guys, I suggest we leave right about now." Elliot yelled over and began running towards us. The ghost that had held him looked angry.

"What about Freakshow?" Danny looked at him.

"I'm sure the overly pissed off ghosts can deal with him." I decided and then we ran towards the back exit where Elliot and I came in before. Finally, when he was away from the crowd, Danny turned back to his regular human form. From there, I took my keys out and pressed the unlock button. It was pitch black out and you could barely tell the difference between my car and the other hundred black cars just like it. The headlights flashed and finally I recognized it. We hopped into my car, Elliot in the front and Danny in the back this time, and I quickly put it into drive and drove away as quick as I could.

"Could someone tell me what happened? And why does my face hurt?" he rubbed the side of his head where I hit him earlier.

"Sorry about that." I apologized.

"What? What did you do?"

"More like what did you do, man." Elliot turned his head around and looked at his confused and nervous friend.


	25. The Waters Rising Up And Were Going Down

**A/N: Next chapter! Hope you all enjoy and review a little more! Disappointed with the very little amount of reviews I received last chapter :[ Major sad face. But anyways, I know I'm a little late on this one, but happy belated Halloween and happy belated November! Hope you all had fun going trick or treating or passing out candy, whatever you all do. Mine was quite interesting lol. Speaking of Halloween, I was thinking about redoing the Halloween chapter in this story, but I decided not to. Idk let me know if I should or not! Thanks. Btw- I know I used this chapter song already, it just fit in so well with this chapter too I thought I'd use it again. LOL why not! :] **

_Chapter Twenty Five:_

_The Water's Rising Up And We're Going Down_

_Chapter Song: SOS by Abandon_

"Remind me how you somehow convinced me to come along?" I slumped down in the uncomfortable seat of the Grove High School Bus and pouted. By my side was Danny, and next to him on the window seat was Elliot. My arms were crossed over my chest and my feet were bent, placed at the edge of the seat so I was the most comfortable I could get.

"Because you're an awesome friend who wouldn't leave your even awesome-er friends here alone camping with Scott and his group alone." Elliot said. The bright yellow and crowded school bus was taking us on a day and a half long camping trip to Salem, South Carolina. What was in Salem? Nothing but trees, lakes, animals, and more trees. As boring as the five and a half hour trip there was, I had a feeling the stay at Devils Fork State Park was going to be much worse. The whole eleventh grade was invited to go on this field trip with the science and history department since it was part of our curricular at the moment. A little less than fifty or so students came. It was either going on this field trip or writing an eleven page paper on the history of the park and why nature is important to the universe. Genuinely, I chose the essay, but somehow I got forced into roughing it for a whopping two days in cabins...half the time was going to be spent driving there anyways.

"I don't get it. There's plenty of forests around Savannah, why'd we have to drive to another state?"

"Because the school thought it was necessary. Besides, at least we get a little break from the _ghosts_." Elliot shrugged.

"Oh god Elliot, you jinxed it. We're far from home and the last thing I need right now is having the place haunted."

"Dude, I doubt it is, I'm just saying."

"The towns name is Salem and the parks name is Devils Fork. Yeah, let's be totally oblivious to both those signs." I raised a brow at both boys stupidity.

"Can we at least try to be hopeful?" Danny eyed me.

"Okay. Kids, kids!" Dr. Kingston yelled. Everyone shut their mouths and all their eyes turned towards him.

"We're here. Now when the bus stops, I want you all to calmly go out of the bus in a single file with your bags. Then we will wait for Mr. Henaley and the other bus to come." He informed. I pulled the headphones out of my ears and stuffed them, aong with my phone, into my jeans pocket. The sun had just rose, but you could barely tell. The sky was an eerie gray with a lot of cloud coverage, you couldn't even see the sun. The bus came to a screetching hault. Immediately, I reached under the chair for my black Victoria's Secret duffle and I pulled it out and onto my lap. Obnoxious football jock Scott Marshall and his new Latin girlfriend Paulina Sanchez stood up first. Paulina's hot pink bag and matching crop top were the brightest things on this bus except the bus itself. More and more people stood up, until eventually it was just Danny, Elliot, me and a couple other people. The rest of us piled out of the bus and then made our way to the grey and cold outdoors. How was Paulina wearing a crop top? I was barely warm with my jeans and a black V-neck long sleeved thermal. Soon enough, time passed and the other bus came along.

"Well, this is…" Danny searched for the right words.

"Creepy, strange, boring? Because that would be spot on."

"That would be about right." Danny sighed.

"Come on guys, enjoy the fresh out doors! It's nature, we've—oh my god I don't have service!" Elliot gasped.

"And I thought I was desperate." My lips formed a line. Elliot played with his phone tapping the screen and waving it the air to make it work. But to his frustration, nothing came up.

"Students, follow me!" Mr. Henaley yelled. All fifty something of us walked up a trail until we reached the camp area. There were ten log wood cabins that looked fairly run down. In the center of the camp was a flagpole with the state of South Carolina's flag proudly flying in the air.

"This is…interesting." Danny put a hand on the back of his neck.

"Is this South Carolina or South Africa?" I said, swatting a bug off my sleeve.

"Students of Mr. Henaley and Dr. Kingston's class! Listen up!" The loud voice of another teacher shaparon called over the buzz of chatting students. Everyone put their attention towards the front.

"Very good. First of all, welcome to Devils Fork state park! If you haven't read up, this is the only public access to Lake Jocassee and it's right next to the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is 7,500 acres of pure nature and beauty! On this trip you'll be lucky to see waterfalls, turtles, Black Bears, otters, puma, Bison, and deer. Since you'll be staying in the lodges, there will be electricity and running water, so you all better appreciate that. Oh, and you all better be pretty careful because the closest hospital is twenty-four miles away. So don't do anything stupid. Our first thing on the list to do today is for all of you to go get in your cabins and put your stuff down. Boys in one-cabin girls in another, no mixing! Then, at one forty five, we're all going to meet out here again so we can go hiking and sight seeing. Then in a bit then we'll come back and go canoeing. Dinners at eight thirty then we'll have a bonfire at nine. Lights out is at eleven. Now go to your assigned cabins!" Mr. Henaley ordered after his long speech. I turned to my friends and gave them a 'why-did-you-force-me-to-do-this' look.

"I guess we'll come to your cabin when we're done.

"Please do. I'll be—"

"There you are, Alexa, I've been looking all over for you." A happy Jenna pranced over and interrupted me

"Oh, hi Danny, Emmett."

"It's Elliot." He corrected.

"Right. Well let's go, we're rooming together with Katelyn." She forced me to walk with her by dragging me along by my arm. I turned my head around and mouthed a quick 'sorry' back to the guys. Jenna dragged me all the way to cabin 'D'. We opened the wooden creaky door to find it stuffy and dusty. The cabin was small, but it was big enough to spend 2 days in. It was one big bedroom and then there was a hallway that led to the bathroom. In the back of the room was a large window and next to the front door on both sides were windows. There was one bed on the left wall and on the right wall was a large bunk bed. Katelyn Trevor, Jenna's best friend, had her duffle bag on the night table next to the bunk beds

"Hey Kate." Jenna greeted.

"Hey!" She looked up from her bag.

"I'm Katelyn." She smiled, walking from next to the nightstand and over to where Jenna and I stood. Katelyn was you're average girl next door, she had genuine blonde hair and brown eyes. She dressed a little less girly than Jenna did, wearing jeans, a plaid shirt, beat up sneakers, and a slouch beanie.

"It's Alexa, right?" She pointed to me.

"Yeah."

"Are you the one dating that Danny guy? Or maybe I'm thinking of someone else, no but they definitely looked like you."

"We're just friends." I pursed my lips and nodded my head.

"Oh, awkward." She paused, "but anyways, nice to meet you!"

"Likewise."

"Right, I forgot to ask. You guys don't mind that I took the bottom bunk, right? I've just always wanted a bunk bed before." Katelyn chuckled.

"Ooh! I call top! That is if you don't mind, Alexa." Jenna looked to me.

"Course not, I'll take the bed."

"Awesome. So is it me or do you guys regret coming on this trip already?" Jenna walked over to her bed, so did Katelyn and I.

"I did it so I didn't have to do the essay." Katelyn admitted.

"I was gonna deal with the essay, but the guys convinced me too." I plopped myself on the bed.

"Course they did," Jenna chuckled, "I just got out of going to grandma's 92nd birthday party. It's the perfect excuse not to go see my creepy cousins that seem to make everything more awkward than it has to be. Plus my moms sisters gonna be there and her and my mom, do not get along well when planning parties. Trust me, my 9th birthday, disaster." Jenna turned back to us. Katelyn laughed.

"I remember that." She smiled.

"I think I cried for about five hours." She laughed.

"At least your not there. But back to the subject of this trip, how do they expect us to go canoeing? It's like fifty five degrees."

"They don't expect us to go swimming. Besides, I don't even know how to canoe."

"Neither do I. I mean, it doesn't seem to hard." I said.

"Have you ever gone camping before?" Katelyn asked me.

"I hiked up closest to the Hollywood sign with my friends once, and went hiking in Aspen two summers ago. I guess that counts, but we stayed in a hotel so that's not exactly camping."

"Whoa, you saw the Hollywood sign? Did you visit there?"

"No, I'm from California."

"No way! That's so cool. Have you met any celebrities?"

"Never." I shook my head.

"Okay, so if you guys don't mind, I'm going to go take a shower. I don't know about you, but I feel disgusting after that bus ride." Jenna sighed, walking to the bathroom with a fresh change of clothes in her hand.

Katelyn and I hit it off. We got along perfectly, we were more alike than Jenna and I were. Katelyn was more down to earth than Jenna. Don't get me wrong, Jenna was my best girl friend here, but she could be a handful sometimes. I liked Katelyn, and somehow deep inside I was hoping I could get more girl time in with both of them. Being around two guys, one normal one half ghost, was getting to me. Fifteen minutes later, Jenna came out of the bathroom in just a while towel. Her damp strawberry blonde hair was sticking to her shoulders.

"That was one of the worst showers I've ever taken." She complained, holding her towel shut.

"No water pressure?"

"Yeah! And it's not even hot. It's lukewarm. Hey, any of you happen to have a blow drier? I forgot mine in my car." She turned to us.

"I've got one. It's in my bag."

"Thanks, you're a life savior." Jenna searched through her friends bag.

"Oh, Alexa, cute necklace!" Katelyn noticed me absentmindedly toying with my locket. I looked down to it, even if I already knew which one I was wearing.

"Thanks, it was a birthday present." I forgetfully smiled thinking of when Danny gave it to me.

"From Danny." Jenna added with a wink. A knock at the door made me turn around. I got up and went to get it. Forgetting Jenna was in the back of the room in a towel, I let the door be wide open.

"Hey." Danny said. Elliot was by his side.

"And _hellooo_ Jenna." Elliot peaked behind me. Jenna looked up and groaned. I expected her to yell at me for leaving the door open, but she didn't.

"Ugh, freak." She rolled her eyes at my desperate friend.

"Come on." I told Elliot, "I'll see you guys later." I added, shutting the door behind me and walked down the creaky old wood steps of the cabin.

"No, it's okay, if you guys are having girl time in there, I'll be happy to join." Elliot began to turn around before I stopped him.

"You're pathetic. Let's go." I demanded.

"So you guys and Katelyn rooming?"

"It could be worse. At least I actually like them."

Our hike was interesting. Boring, but interesting. We saw views of the mountains and a lot of the lake, but the rest was mostly trees and hills. At some points during the hike, I felt like we were being watched, but that was probably the paranoid side of me talking. I'm sure any teenaged girl that grew up on the warm beaches of California would feel pretty paranoid since she rarely ever stepped foot in a forest.

"Mr. Henaley, Dr. Kingston." Some girl's voice piped up, she sounded panicked.

"Yes?" One of the teachers asked. We all stopped and turned around.

"I can't find Melissa and Taylor."

"I'm sure there here. Melissa, Taylor, where are you?" Mr. Henaley called. Everyone was silent. Whoever Melissa and Taylor were, they weren't answering their calls.

"I haven't seen them in a while." The brunette bit her lip.

"And I haven't seen Max and Cooper." Some other guy I'd never seen before admitted.

"Cammie, have you—" Candice, the blonde next to me, turned around to her friend, but no one was there.

"Cammie?" She said wide-eyed.

"Cammie's gone too!" She gasped.

"Everyone calm down! Does anyone else notice others missing?"

"Nick."

"Vanessa."

"Faye." The names were rolling in one after another.

"James."

"Okay class, listen up. Mr. Henaley and I will go search for them, I'm sure they just got lost. So here's the deal, half of you stay with Ms. Leighton and go on your canoeing adventure. The other half, if you would like to help spread out and find your class mates, come with us." Dr. Kingston announced. The much smaller group of students split in half.

"Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm staying here." Elliot said.

"I don't have a good feeling about this. Maybe I should go help." I admitted.

"I'm sure that they just got lost guys! Nothing is out here, come on, it's a safe camping site."

"You're the ghost boy, you tell us." Elliot crossed his arms.

"Well, his ghost sense didn't go off, so I guess that means we're a little safer." I said.

"At least you're thinking correctly."

"I never said I didn't feel like something strange was going on. I still think I should go with them."

"Fine, I'll stay on land while you guys go canoeing." Danny reasoned.

"Ms. Leighton, aren't we all supposed to wear life jackets or something?" A girl raised her hand and asked.

"Usually, but we can't find them so we're going on without them." The teacher shrugged. In front of us was a muddy bank with about a dozen canoe's lying on it. I didn't exactly understand why we were doing this since it was just about dark out and it was getting colder by the second.

"Two to a canoe! Let's go!" Ms. Leighton finished handing out the flashlights. One by one, students started piling in the miniature boats. Danny, who was hiding behind a tree from the teacher, was watching everyone from the corner of his eye. Something was up, and I had a feeling he just want telling me. But I trusted him enough to make sure everything was all right.

"You sure about this?" Elliot turned to him.

"Yeah, go before they leave without you." Danny nodded. I barely heard them, I was to busy looking out on the lake from afar. I swore to God I saw a shadow near me and go towards the lake, but once again I felt as if it was my paranoia talking.

"Alexa, everything okay?" Danny turned to me.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, I just—"

"Graham, Pennington, let's go!" Ms. Leighton called, already in the lake paddling down it with the other students.

"Get going and just be on the look out for anything suspicious."

"What happened to everything being fine?" I turned to Danny cautiously.

"You know I always say that." He smiled. For some reason, that smile wasn't reassuring. I didn't give him one back.

"If you tip us over I'll murder you." I threatened, turning to Elliot. Elliot got into the front and I got into the back of the canoe. And somehow, we pushed the canoe and paddled our way down the lake. Not even that far off shore, the boat began turning in the wrong direction and I felt something hit it. _Just a fish_, I thought. Looking the other way, I saw that the group disappeared. There was a light fog rolling in and the darkness was about set.

"Elliot, this isn't working." I sighed The boat started rocking. "And stop moving the boat." I demanded, Elliot hesitated.

"I thought you were moving it."

"No…I just told you to stop moving it."

"Neither am I!" Elliot defended. Something hit the side of the boat jolting our bodies forward.

"What was that?" We sat back up straight. Elliot and I looked to each other wide eyed, and then before we knew it, the boat was tipped over. We screamed, but only to be cut off by water entering our mouths. Icy water seeped into my clothes, my shoes, and soaked my entire body. I couldn't see much, besides the movement of the water and air bubbles I saw nothing. It was too dark. When I tried to swim back up to the top, I felt something pull on my leg. Screaming for Elliot to help me wasn't an option; I couldn't even see where he was. I tried shaking it off, but it began to pull me down harder and I cut through the water with ease. With all my might, I swam up to the top and gasped my mouth open for air.

"Help! Dann-" I screamed but it pulled me back under again. Kicking whatever the thing that was pulling me under off of me once again, I went straight for the surface, until it hatched onto my leg again.

"Help me!" My high pitched scream rang in my ears, it pulled me down. I saw bubbles coming out of my mouth as a result to my screaming underwater. Flailing my arms at an attempt to get myself back up to the surface wasn't working, and I was running out of air. As much as I wanted to take a breath in, I kept my mouth shut; I wasn't going to die today. I had to get back up to the surface, I couldn't drown. Quickly thinking, I thrashed my legs around and began prying whatever was holding me down off my legs. I saw the thing flash before me and then disappear towards the surface. So, it was a ghost, figures. Quickly, I swam myself back to the surface and gasped for air the second my mouth was out of the water. I coughed, choking on water in the process.

"Alexa!" Danny called from the land, which I was much closer to than last time I came up for air. He began running into the water and I swam over to where it was shallow enough for me stand. I coughed again, feeling like there was more water in my lungs.

"What just happened?" He said when we both met each other. Danny was wading waist deep in the water, and it came up to about my shoulders as I sat in the muddy sand, leaning my head against him. He helped me stand up.

"I don't know! The boat just tipped over, and-and then something—a ghost just dragged us under." My body shook at the freezing air. My wet clothes were sticking to my body, sending shivers up my spine and making me uncomfortable. "_Us_" I whispered under my breath, "oh my God, where's Elliot?" I looked up to Danny. His worried expression just got ten times worse.

"I don't know."

"He never came back up?"

"No."

"Oh my God he's still down there." I turned around, about to run back into the deep part of the lake until Danny grabbed my arm.

"What's wrong with you going back in there? You just got dragged down!"

"The things gone, I saw it disappear. Elliot's running out of air!" I ran off, and when it was deep enough, I took a deep breath and dove in. Diving down in the dark, I remembered I had the small flashlight Ms. Leighton gave us in my pocket. I motioned myself to stop swimming underwater and I paused to turn it on. To my surprise, it worked. I then proceeded swimming down to where our boat tipped over. I saw everything but Elliot. There was the sandy bottom, and there was our broken paddle at the bottom, and there was Elliot's flashlight. But there was no, Elliot. Taking myself back up to the surface, I called out to Danny, who was just a silhouette against the blackness.

"He's not there. His flashlights at the bottom, but he's not." I said once I got back to shore. I had my arms wrapped around each other, clutching my body to stop shaking.

"He has to be back at the camp then."

"Danny, he couldn't have gotten out of the water and just walked away. You would have seen him." I said. In my peripheral vision I could see my breath as I spoke.

"Then it took him. We would have seen him, he's not there. Come on let's go back to camp so you can change and see what the others found." He wrapped his hand around my arm and quickly pulled back.

"And take my jacket, you're colder than me. And that's saying a lot since I'm half ghost." He took his oversized jacket off and handed it to me.

"No, it's just gonna get wet, it's fine. You're gonna get cold." I tucked a piece of wet hair that was stuck to my face behind my ear.

"I'm insisting, take it." He forced and threw the jacket at me. Shaking my head in disagreement, I put it on anyways and we headed back to the campsite.

"I have a feeling wherever Elliot is, we'll find everyone else." Danny gulped.

"Why's tha—" I stepped out of the woods and saw the empty sight in front of me. There was a flashlight on the ground and a fire burning, meaning people had been here, but they'd just disappeared like everyone else.

"So what's the plan?" I asked, coming out of the bathroom with a pair of sweatpants, a Long-sleeved Raglan tee, and a pair of comfy and warm Uggs. We were in my cabin, where it was warm unlike the air outside. I just finished blow drying my hair and I finally got comfy. Sitting on my bed, Danny took a seat on the end of it. He had changed into a pair of black sweats, very much like mine, and out of his soaked ones from standing in the lake.

"I don't know. It's to late to do anything now, so I'll figure out something in the morning. I just got to keep thinking of a plan."

"Wow, you don't have a plan?"

"You seemed surprised."

"You're the ghost boy, you always have a plan."

"Ghost boy needs time to think too you know." He winked. We continued talking until sometime later that night we both fell asleep.

"_Alexa." A voice whispered in my dreams. _

"_Alexa. Help me." The voice whimpered quietly. _

"_Please help me." The voice cried. _

Waking up the next morning, it was a bit brighter than yesterday. There was some sun coming in the window closest to the bunk beds, which Danny was lying on. He was bundled up in the covers of the bottom bunk fast asleep while I was in my bed under the covers nice and warm. I didn't even remember falling asleep last night, let alone getting under the covers. The last thing I remembered was talking to Danny. I guess I fell asleep and didn't even know it. And he put me under the covers? How thoughtful. I was still exhausted from last night's events, so I decided more sleep would be needed. As I rolled over to the other side, I screamed seeing what was by my bedside.

"Alexa, please help me."


	26. Identity Switch

A/N: Gahhh sorry I didn't upload this sooner. Three reviews and I'll upload the next one very VERY soon. Like in the next few days. The chapter song is meant for the ending btw, you should listen to the song while reading it. I thought it'd be cute.

_Chapter Twenty-Six:_

_Identity Switch_

_Chapter Song: Take Your Time by Cary Brothers_

"Alexa! What's—" Danny woke up and snapped out of his makeshift bed of the bottom bunk.

"Jenna?" I said, giving a breath out. I looked at the girl beside me. She was all messed up. Her hair was tousled, her clothes had dirt on them, her makeup was smeared, and she was bleeding from her head and on her arms. I was sitting up right in bed holding a hand over my heart trying to control my breathing.

"Please help me." She sobbed.

"What happened?"

"What the…" Danny walked over to us. Jenna started sobbing and dropped to her knees. Immediately, I got out of bed and sat on the floor looking at her.

"Jenna, look at me, focus, focus." She looked up with tears spilling down her face.

"Tell me what happened." I told her.

"They—they took me and Katelyn while we were hiking." She looked down to the floor again and refused to look back up.

"Whose they?"

"They said they were named the shape shifters." She wiped away a few tears. I looked up to Danny in confusion.

"Shape shifters?" I asked him.

"I've never heard of them."

"Danny." She whispered. It was barely audible.

"What?" I looked from Danny to Jenna.

"Danny. They have a message for Danny." She looked at me. Her eyes were dilated.

"Danny, come here." I demanded.

"What?" He came over and bent down to our level.

"Look at her eyes." I told him. Her green eyes were slits and her pupils were enlarged.

"They forced her to do this." He nodded. "Jenna, what's the message?" He spoke slowly to her.

"They said meet them in the forests, you'll know where they are." I looked to Danny and he looked to me.

"You take care of her and I'll go out there."

"You can't go alone."

"You're not coming with me." He got up and walked out the door, leaving Jenna and I alone.

"Alexa, I'm scared. What if they come after me?" She said, leaning her head against my bed.

"They're not going to come after you, Jenna. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." I walked into the bathroom and began searching for anything to get the blood off Jenna's head. While looking in the cabinet under the sink, I found a first aid kit. Walking back into the bedroom, Jenna was sitting on my bed. I took a damp cloth and blotted it on her head.

"Why did they want me to tell Danny that message?"

"I don't know."

"How do those ghosts know Danny? They're ghosts, Danny's just Danny."

"Jenna, I just, I don't know." I said, finishing placing the band-aid on her head and wrapping her wrist in gauze and tape. Jenna was closer and closer to finding out Danny's secret, and I wasn't to sure how to hide it with her being in such a fragile state right now.

Hours went by without any word from Danny. Jenna fell asleep on my bed a half hour ago. For hours, she sat silently staring into space. She wouldn't focus; she had a lot on her mind. Pacing in the room back and forth, I kept wondering what was going on with Danny. Once again, the sky had become overcast and it was windy and cold. I was still bundled up in my pajamas keeping warm inside. In less than two hours, the sun would set. And personally, I didn't want to be alone with Jenna at night in this haunted place. I grabbed the first things I found in my bag and quietly tip toed into the bathroom. Throwing on some jeans and a long sleeved shirt I quickly hopped out of the bathroom and pulled on my sneakers, which were still a bit damp from last nights events. I walked to the front door, silently opening and closing it. The cold air hit me like a ton of bricks. I probably should have brought a jacket, but I wasn't taking the time to go back in. And I wasn't taking a chance of waking Jenna. The campsite was just as empty as it was last night. It was eerie too. Truth be told, I was scared to be here alone. So that's why I went on my way bravely entering the forest. Everything seemed quiet, but normal. But, was it being quiet normal for this situation? The farther I got from camp the more suspicious my thoughts were. Danny had disappeared to. He was nowhere in sight. Did those ghosts take him too? I continued to walk through the forest until I found a clue. It was a bracelet I spotted Katelyn wearing earlier. The 'K' charm dangling from it assured me it was hers. She was somewhere here. They were all somewhere here. When I stood back up from picking the bracelet up, I gasped when I saw Danny standing in front of me.

"Danny. I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Sorry, I uh, was a little busy."

"You think I don't know that?" I looked at him strangely.

"Sorry, I'm just nervous. I can't find them anywhere."

"Still no clue at all?"

"Not a one. They've got to be here somewhere."

"What have you been doing this whole time? Looking for them?"

"Has it been that long?" He asked.

"Hours." I nodded my head.

"Sorry. Anyways, how's Jemm—Jenna?" He asked. I gave a short laugh.

"Did you just call her Jemma?"

"No. I said Jenna."

"Oh God, I'm so nervous that I'm starting to hear things. But she's okay, I guess. As okay as she can be right now. She finally fell asleep so I slipped out while she did."

"At least she's a bit more stable now."

"Yeah." I sighed. We continued walking for another ten minutes.

"Danny, do you know where we're going?"

"It's a forest, it's beginning to all look the same." He admitted. Feeling my phone buzz in my jeans pocket, I reached out and looked at the message displaying on the screen. It was from Danny, and he said how he had found some of them but lost them, he was continuing to look for them. My heart dropped into my feet. Who was standing in front of me right now if this wasn't Danny? Who was this imposter and how did he look exactly like Danny?

"Looks like Jenna's back up. She's wondering where I am. What should I tell her?" I lied, keeping a straight face. I tried covering up my slip from before when I opened my phone up and read the message.

"Tell her you're taking a walk or something." The fake Danny demanded.

You mean you're not with me right now? I texted Danny back and pressed send. Not even half a minute later did I get a response. The imposter and I continued our walking.

"Jenna, again?" he wondered.

"She can get a bit over barring at times." I sighed.

_What do you mean I'm not with you right now? I'm positive I wouldn't be texting you if I was with you. _

"What does she want?"

"Wondering where and where you are. She thinks there's something going on with us." I did a fake laugh and rolled my eyes.

_I'm with one of them. He's posing as you. I'll stall, you get over here._

"I mean is there something going on with us?" he wondered, arching his brows.

"Danny, I don't want to have this conversation right now. It's not the time; we need to find everyone else. I'm really worried." I admitted.

"Fine." He agreed and began to walk again.

"Hey, Danny." I stopped the ghost.

"Yeah?" he turned to me.

"I'm just, I'm really happy you're okay." I smiled. I embraced the imposter in a hug and then he broke it. He looked at me in the eyes and began to lean in closer. Going along with it and playing the part, I cupped my hands around his cheeks and leaned forward also. Quickly reacting, I forced my head to collide with his, head butting him and making him weak and unable to react. Before he could move, I kicked him down. He yelled in pain. Without me knowing, Danny arrived. He kicked the imposer on the ground and then grabbed him, forcing him up. If it wasn't for the blood dripping down the fake Danny's head, I couldn't have told the two apart. They were both in their human form, and both wearing the same exact clothes.

"This is weird." I commented.

"Mind giving me back my identity?" Danny forced the ghost.

"Fine." He smirked then his body shifted into someone else. Me.

"I mean back to someone besides people we know!" Danny shook him.

"Listen, I don't have a normal form. It's just of people or creatures I've seen." The ghost even had my voice.

"But we don't need more of you." She…he…it sighed and he transformed into a man that both Danny and I've never seen before. I was slightly offended by the ghosts words. Was he intending that I was annoying?

"Happy? Alright before you try and kill me, I didn't want to do this. My cult did."

"Cult?" Danny looked at him.

"My group of shape shifters. They've apparently had a run in with you before and they found out you were here. They like revenge. A lot."

"Where are they?"

"Like I'm telling you."

"It's either that or death…again."

"Fine. Whatever. I am with in a fight with them anyways for them pushing me around constantly. There's this lake with a waterfall. Go through there and there's a cave. You'll find your friends there. Probably the other shape shifters there too. But if you kill any of them, I'll kill you." He threatened, changing into another man. "And you won't know what hit you." He smirked, shaking off Danny's grip and walking away.

Hiking down hill, we found the waterfall. It was gorgeous. But that wasn't the focus at the moment. Danny had changed into his alter ego and he was trudging into the water. I followed him into the water and we stopped right before the waterfall opening.

"Give me your hand." He ordered. His hand locked with mine and he went intangiable. We walked through the waterfall and I could feel and see the water go right through us. It was weird and creepy at the same time. When we unlocked the hold on our hands, we were dry…except for being halfway knee deep in water. Sure enough, there was a cave in front of us. All the way at the end of it you could see some kind of light, like candlelight. Getting onto dry ground, we walked down the cave. We could hear people talking. Then we saw it. It was a jail cell the size of a room. It was holding my fellow classmates and students in it.

"I'll distract them, you get everyone out." Danny whispered as we hid behind a corner of the cave. Turning invisible, he flew me over to another corner and safely landed me there. He then took off to fight his own battle. When I appeared there, I watched as one by one students began to notice me. People's eyes focused on me, voices escalated in shock, whispers, fingers pointed at me. Loud gasps of 'Alexa' being whispered around. They stared at me with wide eyes. The first person that outstood the crowd was Elliot. He had been sitting, like the rest of the students, and had gotten up and ran to the front of the cell. Standing in between Elliot and I was door. There was a lock on it, preventing me from getting in and them from getting out. Elliot began talking and I shook my head and put a finger to my lip, signaling the crowd of students to be quiet. Desperately, I searched for a key to get them out. There wasn't any hanging on the walls like they would in the movies, there wasn't a sign of anything.

"Oh, I see you've brought the whole pack here to greet me!" I heard Danny retort to the shape shifters. Everything, meaning time, rushed by fairly quickly.

"Where's the key?" I ran up to the cell and whispered.

"They have it."

"Here." A loud voice called from behind me. I turned around to find the man, who impersonated Danny, from earlier standing there with the key in his hand. He threw it to me.

"George! What the hell do you think you're doing! No!" One of the shape shifters dressed in all black ran over to him. The man, apparently named George, knocked him down with ease.

"I know I'll regret this in the morning. But you and the pack can't boss me around any longer. I'm done with that, I'll be leading for now on." He looked to the man on the ground.

"You wouldn't. You wanted this just as much as us." The shape shifter on the floor changed into a young blonde and even attractive teen.

"No, I didn't. You wanted it. And I would. Or I'll get _him_ involved." He sneered. The now teenaged form man on the ground looked surprisingly scared and gave a defeated nod to the other guys. George looked up to me.

"You and your friends are free to go. Just tell your ghost friend to not run into our path anymore. I'm sorry for the trouble." He politely apologized. Danny and I exchanged a few confused looks from across the room.

Crackling and licking at the large blocks of wood, the large campfire burned brightly in front of me. I sat still on the uncomfortable logs of wood that acted as a seat. I didn't take my eyes off the mix of orange, yellow, and red fire. I'd been admiring it for almost forty-five minutes now. Right now was some kind of night I could imagine only in pictures. The sky was a navy blue dotted with bright stars. The air was cold, but the warmth from the fire rubbed off on me. It smelled like winter—the air mixed with the smell of burning cedar wood. The smell reminded me of the night I got Danny out of the fire. My thoughts had jumped from that night to the present day. I was alone out here, and it didn't bother me. The fifty or so students and three chaperones we had with us had passed out from pure exhaustion once they reached their cabins. That as fine with me, I didn't need them being awake and freaking like they had after I opened the jail cell. I'd put my mind on autopilot, reviewing what had happed tonight. There were to many things that confused and worried me, but I had to get used to it.

"You okay?" Danny approached me.

"Yeah." My voice quietly answered, my eyes not taking my eyes off the flames. "Is it done?" I asked him.

"Yeah." He nodded, taking a seat next to me.

"So they wont remember anything?"

"Nothing. They'll think it was all a dream. They think they've been doing camp activities the past day."

"And Elliot?"

"He's the only one that'll remember anything."

"Thank you." I whispered.

"Why?"

"I didn't need anyone asking why I was there."

"We both didn't need that. They'd catch onto why I wasn't there." Danny replied. I didn't answer him.

"What's going on then?" He asked.

"Nothing. I'm tired, and happy we're going home in the morning. There's just a lot on my mind." I admitted.

"That, is very understandable." Danny sighed. I leaned my head on his shoulder and just sat completely still.


	27. Dear Diary

**A/N: I know it's short but I already wrote the next chapter and I was going to combine these two but it was super long (7,000 freaking words!) But anyways, sorry I haven't uploaded in a while. A lot going on, super busy and all. But as I said before, next chapters already written so if I get 3+ reviews, I'll upload it. Also, this chapter is a lot of journal entries. So keep them in mind, don't skip them over. On another note, do any of you like Vampire Diaries? I have two stories up for it, 'Change of Heart' and 'For Better Or Worse'. Check them out if you do! Thanks guys, love you and your awesome reviews! **

_Chapter Twenty-Seven_

_Dear Diary_

_Don't Stop (Color On The Walls) by: Foster The People_

Danny and I sat in silence listening to the radio go from mixing up songs to a commercial or two and then pack to it's playlist. That was until one certain song called Stereo Hearts came on the radio. Danny didn't particularly like the artist and his gorgeous featured singer partnering with him, so he reached for the dial to change the station.

"Don't even think about it." I smiled pressing my foot on the gas to my new black MKX my parents had traded in for Jeremy and my's mustang. Danny's hand dropped, leaving the song to remain playing.

"You just want me to suffer." He mumbled but a smile crept up on his face.

"Hey, not my fault you don't have a good taste in music." I joked.

"I've gone through your iPod, this is definitely not something you usually listen to."

"What can I say. I love Maroon 5 and I can't help it if their lead singer is absolutely gorgeous.

"I wouldn't be able to agree with that." Danny eyed me.

"I was hoping you wouldn't." I laughed.

"So how you liking the new car?" Danny changed the subject.

"Loving it. It's different though, downgrading from an insane sports car."

"Downgrading?"

"Engine wise. Believe me, I love this car to death. I finally don't feel like there's enough room to breathe." I half smiled. A few minutes later, I pulled into the driveway of the Taylor household.

"Thanks for the ride home." Danny unbuckled his seat belt.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily. I've got to go get my jacket, remember?" I turned the car off and shoved the keys into my purse, which was now being slung over my shoulder.

"Right, right." He nodded. He unlocked the front door and we entered the quiet house. Once again, his parents weren't home. It seemed like they never were.

"Where are your parents?" I asked, my voice bouncing off the walls.

"Off somewhere." He shrugged it off.

"It seems like they're never here." I said without thinking, looking around at what seemed like a perfectly clean and untouched home. I regretted saying those words, afraid Danny would be offended.

"Eh, they're here sometimes. They're busy a lot. You know, work and stuff. It's hard for them, I understand. But it's easier for me. They don't realize how much I'm gone." He explained as we walked up to his room. Instantly, I spotted the black leather jacket on his chair. I walked over and grabbed it.

"At least they aren't suspecting anything." I tried to smile with as much hope as I could.

"They're beginning to get suspicious of a few things, which is worrying me. I'm hoping that they stay out longer so they don't realize. And that reminds me, speaking of suspicions…" Danny paused walking over to his closet and digging out a box. He opened it and took out the journal that we found a few weeks after I discovered his secret.

"Mind keeping this at your house? My parents almost found it the other day and I'm scared that they eventually will find it." He walked over and handed it to me.

"Wow big super heroes' scared of something." I observed.

"Please." He looked at me with raised brows.

"I'm kidding. Yeah, of course I'll take it."

"Hide it good, please." He begged.

"Wouldn't think otherwise."

"Thanks." He weakly smiled.

"Have you read it in since we found it?"

"Is it bad to say that I actually forgot about it? Besides, I've been so busy I doubt I'd actually have time."

"It is pretty long." I looked at the thick journal tied together with the thin rope. I carefully put it in my bag.

"Anyways, as much as I'd love to stay here longer, I've got to go finish up some Chemistry homework. See you in history tomorrow?"

"See you in the morning." He gave an assuring nod. I gave him one last smile before I headed down to the new car.

Whoever invented Chemistry was probably the most boring man of the universe. That had been decided by 99% of teens, along with me. Finishing up writing down the last bits of the homework, I closed my textbook and blew a piece of hair out of my face. Getting up from my bed, I placed the textbook on my dresser and felt relieved how I had finished ten pages of reading and writing. Now looking at the clock and judging by how I felt, it was to early to go to bed. So now I had to contemplate of what to do for a few more hours. Going out to Danny's or Elliot's wasn't an option because both boys had work they had to do. Then something clicked in my mind, Danny. I walked over to my purse and looked inside to see the journal still in there from earlier. I had forgotten to put it somewhere else. Thank God Shylee was out to dinner with my dad. If she went through my bag like one of those fluke times she needed gum or something, all hell would have broke loose and the secrets we'd been keeping for the past few months would be out. Right before I was about to stuff the journal away in my drawer, I decided that since there wasn't anything better to do, I should read a few entries. Plopping myself down on the bed, I got comfy on top of the comforter and laid down, propping myself up on my elbow and resting my head on my hand. Flipping open the book, I found the place that I had left off last.

_March 19th, 1887._

_You cannot run from death. We've been described as monsters, but that's what we are. We're abominations, not normal to nature. And there are more of us. Many of them. The town is having an intervention of it. I've hidden myself well, I've kept myself secretive towards my family and Elijah. He hasn't suspected a thing. I'm very lucky in that part. But inside, I'm terrified they will find me. They wont accept me, they haven't with the others. They have shot them down, beaten, weakened, and burned them all. They are dead now. Completely dead._

_June 27th, 1887_

_I have fled town. Elijah had discovered what I was. He had been working on a device that gives away where a ghost is. He was terrified of me. So as I stated before, I fled. Everything was left behind, my wife, my home, my memories, and my best friend who now hates me for what I am. Elijah had told the town I had died in a tragic accident of which I presume was to either be a fire or animal attack. Either would be acceptable, they wouldn't find my body. I attended my own funeral today. Mayor Thatcher had held it. They buried an empty casket. Maria had been crying the whole time. I felt bad, I wanted to sit with her and tell her I was alright, but I couldn't. Elijah, who was sitting with Mary and Elizabeth had not shed a single tear. He kept a straight and serious face through the whole ceremony. I had the slightest inkling he knew I was watching._

_September 3rd, 1887,_

_I've been on the run for months now. I'd flown up and down the east coast looking for a place to call home. I hadn't found one until now. I know reside in a small town in West Virginia. It's where no one can recognize me and no one would be talking about ghosts. Or whatever halfa I am._

Absolutely shocked by what I was reading, I flipped through several entries and moved onto the next ones. All I could think of was how bad I felt for Thomas-James Fenton. I flipped two and a half years ahead.

_January 21st, 1890,_

_I'm welcoming you a new year. I'm praying that it brings wealth, love, and happiness for me. I can only pray for something such as that. I've been starting new research on myself to see if there's a way to get rid of my ghostly side._

_May 8th, 1890,_

_My research has concluded on myself. As you can see in previous entries, I've made lists and diagrams and all such things of what I've learned. All that these painstaking months of research has led me to is that there was no way on earth that I could revert myself back. It's possible I might kill myself. It's torture._

_July 12th, 1890,_

_I've met a man while traveling. His name? Harry Livingston. You must be concerned why I'm so attached to this man and telling you about him. He's a ghost like me, but at the same time, he's different. He doesn't have his half ghost form like I do when I change into the form that looks completely opposite of me. Harry has his powers without even changing into another form. In fact, he's alerted me he doesn't have another form. Harry tells me this is rare. There are only a few of his kind. These kinds of ghosts are full human and full ghost, I've never seen anything like it in all my years. Impeccable. They appear as a normal human being! How wonderful! Harry and I have been residing together now. In my heart, he replaces Elijah, who I miss very dearly. At least Harry will accept me for who I am._

_December 20, 1890,_

_Henry and I have been studying together. He has made me stop thinking about Elijah and Maria. I have a new family now, and that family is ghosts._

_December 24th, 1890,_

_Henry has told me something that has changed my view on everything. He, as the rare ghost form that he is, is immortal. Yes I know ghosts are always immortal, but in our conversations over tea today, it popped up. Apparently, the rare ghosts like that stay in the form they died in. As for an example, Henry explained to me that he was twenty-seven years of age when he had died of a gunshot wound. He woke up the next morning like nothing was wrong. The wound had been healed and then he began experiencing the powers. Another ghost just like him had helped him along the way. Henry looks no more than his twenty-seven years of age. He told me that he is really supposed to be sevnty three at the moment. He knows of one other rare immortal human ghost as he is, he says he's been around for a hundred and five years and looks no more than the age of thirty. Incredible, completely incredible. But halfa's like I move on in the world. We change just as humans do. He told me the list that could kill a ghost like him: stakes to the heart, decapitation, and a gun shot to the heart._

This was what Danny had read up to. When the ghost at homecoming had come he said he could only be killed by an injury to his heart. He was just another rare ghost. Apparently, there was more than Thomas-James and Henry and thought there were.

_March 17th, 1891,_

_Henry is dead. He was killed by a group of hunters who've been after him for twenty years. The last thing he said to me was to be careful and he thought of me as his brother, not a best friend. _

Thomas-James' words moved me. They made me feel sad for him. It was hard loosing someone you really loved.

_October 31st 1891,_

_Forever is a long time to deny what you are. Forever is a long time period. I haven't killed myself yet. But I've wanted to. I've been so lonely without Henry. He was the only one I could talk to, vent my feelings to, fly around with. I've moved my home again. I'm now in the southeastern part of Georgia. Savannah I think it's called. It's a cute little town. I've heard rumors about there being more ghosts here, but so far I'm alone. My neighbors accept me, but I've been distant from everyone. They come close but I back away being cold and unfriendly, not the true me. I've yearned for someone like Henry to have friendship with again, and I've yearned for someone like Maria to comeback into my life. I missed them, so much._

_December 4th, 1891,_

_I've met someone in the town today. Her name is Annabella Perova. I swear I've heard that name before, but that is beside the point. She's beautiful, more gorgeous than Maria. I felt drawn to her while in town today. And we met by a total accident. I can not get over how lovely she is. I already feel like I love her, she's perfect in every single way. Her curled brown hair is the perfect shade and length. Her brown eyes are gorgeous, you could get lost in them. Her nose is adorable. Her southern belle dress looked beautiful on her. More beautiful then any other woman in that market place where I had run into her. I can't get my mind off of Annabella. I must see her again. We plan to have tea tomorrow afternoon. I'm excited yet nervous. It's possible I've finally found someone to help heal my heart. There's something—_

"Lex' you still up?" I heard Shylee's voice call from downstairs. I was so deeply involved in the journal I never heard my parents come in through the front door minutes ago. Quickly, I shut the journal and ran over to my dresser across the room. I threw open the middle drawer and picked up all the shirts that were neatly folded on top. I slid the book all the way on the bottom and shut the door as soon as I heard her footsteps coming up the stairs. Quickly thinking trying not to act suspicious, I pretended to put my hair up in a pony tail and I was staring in the mirror.

"Alexa?" She opened the door.

"Huh?" I dropped my hair. "Oh hey, I didn't know you guys were home."

"Yeah we got home like five minutes ago. We saw your light on. What are you still doing up?" She asked. I turned to my clock to see it was eleven thirty.

"I just finished up some homework. Sorry, I lost track of time."

"Head to bed, you're gonna be exhausted in the morning."

"Alright. Night Shylee." She closed the door leaving me alone.

"So how was Chem homework?" Danny ran up to me as I walked up the parking lot into school.

"Ineffective." I simply answered. A few steps in front of me, my brother was walking hastily to meet up someone.

"Alexa." Jeremy turned around. I looked up to him and he threw me the keys to the car.

"Going home with Taylor today. Don't wait up for me." I caught the keys and nodding in a response to him. He went on his way to catch up with his pretty blonde friend.

"Ineffective?" Danny questioned.

"I gave up and read the journal." I admitted.

"Somehow I figured you would."

"It's just so interesting. I didn't even realize how long I read it for."

"Where'd you get up to?"

"His first entry about Annabella Perova, whoever she is."

"Annabella who?"

"Perova. Some girl he met in the market place. Did you not get there yet?"

"Nope. Last place I stopped was some entry about Henry. What did I miss?" He wondered. I gave off a small laugh.

"I'd tell you here but it's extremely detailed."

"Fine. Then I'm coming over later and reading it." He said.

"Deal, my house after school then." I smiled. Walking into the school building, we were flooded by tons of people. It was a normal Monday morning at GHS. Every student was dreading being at school and some were cramming for last minute tests and homework problems. And of course, they would be sitting in the hallway nagging their friends for help. That made everything ten times more crowded. We eventually spotted Elliot at his locker pulling his history book out.

"I can't stand Mondays." He sighed.

"Hello to you too." I nodded.

"How was dinner with your uncle?" Danny asked.

"Boring, but there was no way out of it." Elliot shut his locker and we proceeded to history.

"So class, now turn to page 117 and we'll begin. Alright? Everyone there? Good. So let me give a quick sum up of this before we start. It was 1592, Denmark, the royal family—the Sverige's were at rule. That's pronounced Svar-e-ae." Mr Henaley went on with the rest of his summary. In the mean time, I was staring at the clock counting the minutes till class was over. Seventeen minutes and thirty nine seconds.

"Kate will you please start reading?" The teacher asked the friendly blonde in the front left of the classroom.

"In fifteen ninety two…" Kate began. Getting bored with counting the seconds, I slowly skimmed over the page I was supposed to comprehend. A certain picture on the lower left of the page caught my eye and made me stop. It was a portrait of the Sverige family. But, it wasn't the family itself that caught my attention; it was the girl. The girl looked exactly like me. With me being so infatuated with my head in the book, I didn't notice that Kate had stopped reading and the entire class had become silent.

"Oh my Gosh." Kate whispered.

"That's…that looks exactly like Alexa."


	28. All Coming Together

A/N: Yay! Here it is! It's 3,700 words so I hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks for all the love you guys give in the reviews. Much appreciated! Love you guys!

_Chapter Twenty Eight:_

_All Coming Together_

_Chapter Song: We Don't Eat by James Vincent McMorrow_

"That's…that looks exactly like Alexa." Marc Sanders, the captain of the golf team, commented. You know that feeling you have when someone was watching you? I had that, magnified by ten. I lifted my head up and saw everyone's eyes on me. Whispers were being shared and it made me feel uncomfortable. Turning my head left and then right, there wasn't one person not doing a double take from their book to me. I turned my body half way around and looked to Danny, who was sitting in the desk diagonally behind me. He looked absolutely confused, much like the rest of the class. He looked back to the page and then back up to me. I turned away from him since he was clearly no help in the situation. When was this going to stop?

"Children, settle down. Yes, this picture has a striking resemblance to Miss Pennington but remember, it's old, grainy, and a sketch so we can't make it out to be exact." Mr. Henaley calmed the class down a bit. They went back to reading but I kept seeing students glance over to me, I slumped down in my seat from the awkwardness. Looking down to the page again, I began to read the small caption underneath the picture of the family. Annabella Sverige-Perova. That was the girls name. Those two names were so crystal clear in my mind I don't know why I didn't realize this seconds ago. In the journal Thomas-James wrote about the girl he met was Annabella Perova. And the girl on the history textbook page was Annabella Sverige-Perova. But, these two people couldn't be the same person. They were three hundred years apart, the girl in the textbook was long gone by then...or was she? My thoughts consumed me for the five minutes we had left of class. And those five minutes seemed like they were five years. Packing up my history book when Mr. Henaley told us that it was all right too, I pretended to listen to him. The clock struck 8:45 and like every other weekday at school, the school bell rung. I snatched my backpack and I was out of the door before anyone could realize I was gone. Anyone being Danny and Elliot of course. I quickly slipped myself down the busy hallway and once I was out the front doors I ran to my car. Throwing my backpack onto the passenger seat, I sped out of the school driveway and towards my house.

Thanks to my speedy driving, I got home in a flash. I was lucky I didn't get a ticket. For the record, driving ten to fifteen miles over the speed limit isn't advised. Thankfully, Shylee and my dad had left for work already. After unlocking the front door, I proceeded to run as fast as possible up to my room. I threw my bag onto my bed and pulled out my history textbook and put it on my dresser. I went straight for page 117 and immediately spotted the picture. From there, I pulled out the journal and flipped to the near end of the middle. I soon found the page where Thomas-James mentioned Annabella. Skimming over it once more, I flipped to the next page. But it wasn't anything helpful. Page after page was just one big description of how 'amazing' and 'in love' he was. I needed something! Anything! They couldn't be the same person! That was until I flipped to the next entry, everything stopped.

_January 11th, 1892,_

_Three can keep a secret if two are dead. Annabella, the love of my life, has revealed something that changed me today. It's changed all my feelings towards her and magnified them times a hundred. She's a ghost, and she's one of the rare ghosts that has her ghost form and human form combined. Like dear old Henry. And to add to that, she never grows old. She never mentioned how old she was when I questioned her, but she said older than I would think. She knew I was half ghost, she said she could sense it. She admitted how much she loved me and how she could make us be together forever. I'm guessing there is some way where a half ghost can be turned into a rare form like her. She wont tell me how though. This scares me. Annabella told me how it gets better through the years. After you watch the people you know die and pass on, people learn to accept you, or you make them. That's what scared me the most. She told me I should make them accept me. Is that right? I've never seen this side of Annabella in all the months I've fallen in love with her. She voice, it was forceful, powerful, and seductive. But that's not what bothered me. The love of my life is a ghost, much like me, but she wants me to do some evil things. She admitted she's done them before. Is that right? My conscious is telling me no but my heart just wants to be with her._

Everyhting stopped. The world stopped turning, I stopped breathing, my heart stopped beating. I stood there silently. It had been decided by myself that the Annabella from 1892 was the Annabella from 1592. 300 years exactly of a difference. As I was about to go flip the page, I felt something different with the paper. It was doubled up. I flipped the page over and found another piece of paper sewed into the journal. It was a little pocket for space in between it. With my brows furrowing and my confusion level rising, I looked inside and found a small paper hiding in there. The back had small script writing in it that said 'Annabella Perova: 1891'. I turned the paper over to find a sepia toned photo of me. The picture was from my head all the way down to right below my shoulders. I didn't have any makeup on, my hair was curled, and I had the top of what looked like some fancy dress on. This picture wasn't me but at the same time it was. But…it wasn't. This was Annabella Perova or Annabella Sverige-Perova, or whoever she really was. My vision shifted from the photograph to the history book. These people were the same exact person. I glanced up to myself in the mirror in front of me. Suddenly, everything made sense.

"_Especially with girls who are human, non ghost doppelgangers, and who know about ghosts." The ghost from homecoming told me._

"_Why am I the key in this?" I yelled at Elliot._

"_Because she looks like Anna." The ghost of homecoming blurted out in a pained , I knew that all three of us were wondering the same exact question: Who's Anna?_

"_Ah, let's see, very unique. A double. I've heard about this. That could be used in my show. But not without the original." Freakshow circled me._

"_Where's Anna?" He eyed me from head to toe._

"_But we don't need __**more**__ of you." George the shape shifter from the trip said while still looking like me._

Anna. She was Anna. Why hadn't this connected sooner? Annabella Sverige-Perova, or whatever her last name was, was Anna, the ghost that others had asked about. And she was one of the hand full of ghosts that never changes appearances as long as they lived, which looked like from the history books more than 430 years. She was the key in this, and I was her double, her twin. She was me and I was her. But, how? There was no possible way that this could happen. Logic wasn't in favor with this event. I shoved the journal carelessly in my drawer. Danny couldn't have possibly known and kept this from me, right? What if he did? Was that the only reason he became friends with me? Because I look like her? Salty tears welled up in my eyes and I gasped for air, letting a small cry out. I put a hand over my mouth silencing the sob that escaped my mouth. I shook my head in disbelief. I was dreaming. I had to be. I wanted to be. Everything had been a lie. My whole life was just one big lie. I didn't know who I was anymore. I sunk down to the floor and stayed there, sitting on my knees. I tried to keep my cries as silent as I could just incase any family member walked in the house at any moment. I was scared to death. And the reasons were endless.

However minutes later I had collected myself and grabbed my keys, driving off to somewhere I could be away from it all. And that first place I thought of was the park. No one from school was there since classes were going on that very moment. But when I got there, I just kept driving since there was to many children and their parents there. So I kept on driving in silence. No radio was left on and no windows were open. It was dead silent. I didn't know exactly where I was going, I was doing aimless driving to no where. Another tear escaped my puffy along with glassy eyes and it rolled down my red cheeks. I didn't bother wiping it away. I couldn't help to feel like I was in some strange dream. It was like that this was some cruel joke that someone was playing on me. I honestly wished to God it had been, but this was so far back in history it couldn't have been a joke. After a while I decided to focus my attention on the road. Once I noticed I wasn't in civilization anymore, I'd been alerted. Of course, I had taken a wrong turn. A dozen yards ahead I could see cones and an orange sign warning of 'major flooding and to take the next detour'. Great, where was I? This was a mistake. I never should have gone out for a drive. It figures I would end up getting myself lost. They always say never drive when you're emotionally a wreck, and I broke that rule. Look where that ended me up. A beaten up dirt road was the so-called detour the sign was pointing me too. It didn't even look like a road. But I insisted on turning around sometime today, so I followed it for a ways until I could find the road anymore. I shifted into park and sat there in silence. Silence, that was all I heard, and I've never hated it so much. I was so uncomfortable and so alone. I was scared and I didn't know who to talk to. All I wanted to do was scream. So I did. And since I was in the middle of nowhere, no one heard me. So I screamed to get all my frustration out. Seconds later, I knocked my head against the leather headrest and sighed, running a hand through the top of my hair. I wasn't to sure how long I sat there, but I knew it was for a while. Soon, I got out of the car. I needed air and service to call someone or get some GPS back to civilization. I pushed the keys in my pocket and took out my phone. Walking around with the large bunches of leaves crunching below my boots, I slowly typed in 'Savannah' in the coordinates. My feet didn't feel steady as I noticed I was going down hill a bit. I turned around and began walking back up until I tripped on an overgrown tree root concealed by the dead leaves. I yelped as I fell face first to the ground. I then began falling down the hill. I tried grabbing onto other tree branches along the way, but it was no use. I just fell. But then I stopped. I rolled myself around so my face wasn't buried in the leaves and sat up. Everything was going wrong today. I didn't bother getting up, I sat in the leaves for a while, just thinking about how screwed up my life had been. How did some girl from Denmark four hundred and a half years ago have the exact same face as me? Yes, there were such things as twins but this was impossible. No twin could look so spot on as Anna did to me. It was creepy. Really creepy. Now, Anna was a ghost who had been 'alive' for more than x amount of years. Did that…did that mean I was a ghost too? We were the exact same person, this couldn't mean I was part ghost too. No, I couldn't be one. Especially some rare version of a ghost, there was no way. Danny would have sensed me and I would have established my powers already. I've felt normally human all my life, I didn't know what it felt like to be a ghost. I imagined myself as a ghost, which was seemingly impossible. The suit, the silvery white hair…but wait, I wouldn't have that. I'd look the same as I did right now. Not possible. I was denying what was right in front of me. And I knew I eventually had to talk to Danny about this. As much as I didn't want to, I'd have to. But that would wait until tomorrow. Or next week. I buried my face in my hands in frustration not knowing what to do anymore. Why was I a target because I was a double of some ghost and why was she so special? Or was the question was why was I so special? Everything had been a lie. One big lie. And I kept repeating that to myself. Then the topic of 'What if Danny knew the whole time' came back into my mind. Danny was my best friend, he looked at me just as confused as everyone else was when they saw the picture. It could have been possible he was faking that though. It only made sense to think that Danny knew. He was a ghost, Anna was a ghost, a lot of ghosts knew about Anna and Danny. Word had to get around. But would my best friend hide something this big from me? How much did Danny Taylor know about Anna?

A large banging noise awoke me. My room was pitch black and it was once again uncomfortably silent. The loud banging noise went off again. I shot up from bed and reluctantly got out of it and opened my bedroom door.

"Jeremy?" I called. Nothing, not even the banging noise answered me back. Ignoring the fact no one answered me back, I made my way over to the bathroom. Turning the lights on, I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked better than I had earlier. But I still looked sad. Suddenly, my eyes started to turn darker, and then they turned red.

"What the—" I began to say but I stopped mid sentence when I noticed my mouth was not moving in the mirror image of me. The mirror image of me gave off an evil smile, which I was definitely not giving, then it disappeared. The bathroom door slammed shut by itself and I looked at the mirror. I wasn't there. It was like I wasn't standing right in front of the bathroom mirror. I was invisible. I was a ghost. Then, when I went to open the bathroom door again, it was locket. I jiggled the doorknob a few times but it wasn't working, I was stuck in here. I knocked on the door and kept trying to get the door to open.

"Jer? Shylee? Someone open the door!" I yelled. I heard the knob unlock and I opened the door. I was standing right in front of me. All of the sudden I heard a faint ringing noise. It was all the way in the back of my mind, but it was there. Whatever that noise was needed to stop. I needed to stop it.

"What?" I gasped. Behind me, I saw Danny in the background.

"Wake up." He commanded. The noise got louder and louder until I opened my eyes to found it right next to me. My phone was lighting up and quietly buzzing on my nightstand. The harsh light made my eyes hurt in the darkness of the room. Grabbing my phone, without looking at the caller ID, I picked it up.

"Hello?" My voice sounded raspy and quiet. It had been the after affects of crying for hours on end.

"Hey, sorry, did I wake you?" Danny asked sounding fully awake.

"No…" I lied almost starting to nod back off to sleep again. I leaned forward and switched the lamp on.

"Don't lie." Danny said.

"It's three in the morning, give me a break." I said, blinking my eyes a couple times to stay awake. I kicked off the covers and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

"Sorry, I just…can you talk?" He wondered.

"Right now?" I yawned.

"I was hoping so." The voice didn't come from the phone. It sounded closer then it should. I looked down to my phone to see that the call had ended. I saw a bright flash bounce off my walls. Turning around, I saw Danny standing with his hands in his pockets.

"Where'd you go earlier?" That's what he wanted to know? He woke me up at three in the morning to wonder where I'd gone. If I wasn't so tired I'd kill him.

"Home." I lied without thinking. Knowing Danny, he had come here after class. Besides, we had planned to hang out so he had defiantly come here at some point. And the thing was, I got home at ten so I stayed out the rest of the day and most of the night. I didn't want to come home, I didn't want to be home.

"You and I both know that I already checked your house. So, where were you."

"Danny, if you come here just to ask where I was, you could have waited till morning. I'm not in the mood for this."

"Okay, well do you want to explain why you left after class?"

"Not exactly."

"Fine then, I guess I'll just have to wait here until you tell me." He sighed, walking over to my bed and sat down on it.

"Listen, I know you're tired and everything, but—"

"Did you know?" I interrupted. There was a moment of silence where Danny seemed confused. I stood there with a straight, unhappy face.

"Did I know what?"

"You have to be completely honest with me right now. Did you know about her?"

"Who are you talking about?" He asked, like he didn't know what was going on. I stormed over to my dresser and pulled out the journal on top. I opened it and found the picture almost immediately. I walked over to Danny and handed it to him. He picked it up face down, but when he turned it over he stopped moving.

"Who is she?" Danny asked after many moments of silence.

"Annabella Perova. Also known as Anna…the ghost we've been hearing about for the past few months."

"But she's…"

"Me, I know. But she's also the girl from the history book. The exact same one."

"So she's been alive—"

"For more than four hundred and a half years. And if you're wondering where I went earlier, I went out. This was a bit much to handle. I needed air."

"First of all, no I didn't know about this. I would have told you."

"You swear?"

"Swear. I don't know why you would think otherwise. But second of all, I just—I don't even know what to say about this."

"Neither do I. I'm so frustrated. I don't know what to do." I laid myself down on my bed and picked up a pillow by my side and buried it on top of my head. I groaned in frustration but stopped when I realized there were other people sleeping in this house. Taking the pillow, I stuffed it under my arm and turned onto my side, hugging it. Danny got up from my bed and walked over to my dresser to get the journal. Once he did, he returned and sat down across from me. I let him read in silence for a few minutes while I sat completely still looking at him then I gave up trying to read his expression, so my eyes wandered down to the sheets.

"My life is such a mess." I quietly said.

"No it's not. We've just…run into something that we don't know how to figure out." Danny sympathetically put it. In my world, that meant that this would never be figured out. I knew we were stuck with this problem.

"I'm not a ghost, right?" I brought up.

"I, I don't think so."

"But you're not positive?"

"Why would you be?"

"There's every reason for me to be. I share every possible trait with this girl; why not just share one more thing with her?"

"Not exactly. You share the same looks as her, not the same personality. It doesn't look like you're all her."

"You've seen the pictures. I just, I don't get it. So many ghosts have heard about or seen her. Why haven't we?"

"I'm not sure. She's never come up before you came. But we've still never seen her. Maybe she's dead."

"No, I don't think so. I think she's very well alive, she's just, she's either hiding or she doesn't know about us. But word gets around."

"Then if she's alive…where is she?" Danny met my gaze and we both wondered the same exact thing. Where could she be?


	29. Brand New Eyes

**A/N: Hi guys! Happy new year! And a belated merry Christmas and happy hannukah! Hope you guys had a wonderful holiday. I've been really busy with school, PLL, Secret Circle, and Vampire Diaries premiers, and social lifes. Lol, anyways, enjoy the chapter! Btw, warning, you'll be seeing a bit more of someone lovely in this chapter :* **

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Brand New Eyes

Chapter Song: Before The Worst by The Script

The questions had come to an end, but that was only after two weeks. The craziness of the whole Anna-Alexa look alike craze slowly died down and the awkward stares had decreased day by day. I convinced myself, with a small help of Danny and Elliot of course; that there was no chance in hell she would show up…if we didn't see her already, we wouldn't be seeing her at all. She was probably dead for all we knew. That's how I was going to leave it. She was dead, done, topic over. Moving on. Now, with it being four fifteen on a cool Sunday afternoon, you would think I would be outside enjoying the rest of the day. But no, I was standing in the check out line at the local pharmacy, a pack of gauze and medical tape in my possession. These things weren't for me, they were for Danny, who was currently lying unconscious on his bed with a bleeding arm. Since he didn't have any medical supplies left, so Elliot sent me out for it while he baby sat Danny making sure 'nothing bad happened'. This was all because of a ghost attack, which had taken place less than an hour ago.

"_When do you think he's gonna come back?" Elliot asked me while pausing from playing Angry Birds on his phone._

"_Don't ask me." I shrugged, not bothering to look at him. I was sitting sideways on the cushioned butterfly chair. I had my head resting against the wall and my legs crossed over each other, hanging over the opposite side of the chair. My head, being tilted up, looked up to the phone I was texting on. My arms were outstretched so I was holding it above my head. I was that bored. Danny had left since his ghost sense went off twenty minutes ago. Elliot and I had grown bored of our conversation, so he had turned to the games on his phone for fun, while I had done multiple things—thought about how it was to hot in this room to wear a blazer, go over what shoes my white blazer, black and white cheetah print tank top, and black leggings outfit, then text Jenna asking her what was up for the day. It was all just as boring. We continued doing our own thing until in the back of our minds we heard a yelling. The yell got louder and closer. Then there was a crash and a thump. An intangible Danny Phantom flew through the window and crashed on the floor, hitting his head on the floor and dresser. We both gasped and our bodies shot up._

"_Oh my God!" I squealed, dropping my phone onto the floor in the process. In seconds, Elliot and I were by Danny's side. We watched as two rings formed around his body and turned him back to normal. He groaned and rolled over towards me._

"_Danny?" Elliot shook him. Then we saw a wet spot on his sleeve. Elliot rolled it up and saw a deep gash on his upper arm, very close to his shoulder. I took a breath in and looked away, covering the side of my face with my hand. I hated the sight of blood. I hated its iron smell, it made me feel sick. I had bad experience's with it, whether it was the time I was seven and cut my hand open or once when I was skateboarding with Jeremy and he fell off and sliced open his leg and arm while also receiving a bloody nose. I couldn't even deal with going to go take blood. I'd always try to get out of it, but sadly enough I'd be force into it and almost pass out while they would hold the needle._

"_What's wrong?" Elliot turned to me._

"_N-nothing." I stuttered._

"_Go check in the bathroom if there's any tape and gauze." He ordered. As quick as he said it, I was out of there._

Finally, stepping into the front of the line, I handed the money to the cashier. With a dull and repetitive 'have a good day', I proceeded to grab the plastic bad and make my way to my car. Continuing walking, I stuffed the bag into my purse so I could be hands free. Then I felt my pocket vibrating the moment I stepped out of the store. Perfect timing, I sarcastically thought. It was Elliot of course. What did he want now?

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Where are you?"

"Walking out of the store. Why? Is he dying?" I asked, knowing Danny's condition was not that serious. Okay, it was a major wound but with him being part ghost, he usually healed ten times quicker than a normal human.

"Can you hurry up? Please?"

"You're already lucky I didn't get a speeding ticket on the way here. But to answer your question, yes, I will and currently am hurrying."

"Much appreciated."

"How bad is he bleeding?"

"It's calming down but he's in a ton of pain. He woke up and passed out again."

"Great. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Fine." He agreed and I hung up. Where on earth was my car? I just wanted to go home already. Sliding my phone in my pocket, soon enough I spotted it. But while I continued to walk towards it, I had that strange sense that someone was watching me. Looking around, I could almost swear I saw someone standing behind a tree, but that was only for half a second and I didn't hear any noises. Before getting my car door open, I looked to my right one more time to see nothing once more. I was just being suspicious as usual. I carried on having that uncomfortable feeling of being watched. Ignore it, I told myself. Adjusting my mirrors, I gasped at the site of a figure standing beside the tree in a black hoodie. I knew for real this time, I had actually seen the person. I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, but what I did know was I knew it was real. The jacket shadowed the person's face, which was buried in the hood over his head, so I snapped my neck around to look for it. By the time I did, the person was gone. Am I really getting that crazy that I'm imagining things? But, I swear to God I had seen a person standing right there. I guess I was just over tired. I knew I didn't sleep a ton last night but I didn't know it was that much.

"Here." I walked in, throwing Elliot the plastic bag. He barely managed to catch it.

"What took you so long?"

"Some—never mind." I decided not to tell him about the person I thought I saw in the parking lot. "What's going on?" I changed the subject, looking over to the sleeping Danny.

"Well, as of five minutes ago it healed a little, so it's on its way."

"Looks like you're going to be a good doctor." I smirked, taking a seat down on the seat in the corner of the room.

"I hope so." He said before ripping open the packages to the products I had just bought. Danny continued to sleep for a while. And in that mean time, I spent it looking out the window and doing what I did best, thinking. My mind wondered back to the topic of the person who I saw in the parking lot. What if that was her? What if that was Anna? It couldn't have been, it was probably some creepy guy just stalking me. But then again, what if it was her?

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" Elliot's voice shook me out of my ocean deep thoughts.

"Is it that obvious?"

"I've heard that before," he chuckled, "but yes, it's obvious."

"Ugh." I groaned.

"Hey, you've got every right to wonder."

"But it's been eating me up for the past few days. I've just got to move on like everyone else did."

"It's a bit harder than that. Everyone else didn't have the same face as her. And on top of that they didn't know she's a ghost."

"Kinda wish I didn't know that myself."

"Yeah I know, but as we said before, it's a one and a million chance she'll find you let alone she's still alive. It's weirder than anything. Besides I'd rather move onto the topic of the relationship between you and—"

"her, I know. I don't know how we're related. I mean it must have gone centuries and centuries down the line, but still, I've never seen something so…accurate."

"Right….that. Believe me, I couldn't even tell you."

"Figures," I sighed, picking up my purse, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"See yah." He waved.

I walked into class with a feeling I've had many times before—annoyance. I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to leave my bed this morning. I felt and looked disgusting—which Shylee had obligated disagreed on. She was required to tell me I looked pretty, I was her stepdaughter, she couldn't tell me I was ugly.

"Well you're here earlier than usual." Danny commented.

"I could say the same to you." I said while I had put my bag onto the ground and turned in the seat to face him.

"Feeling any better?"

"Mostly all healed up." he proudly stated. The bandages were peaking out of his dark blue sleeve.

"And a good happy Monday morning to you guys!" Elliot cheerily sat down next to us with a smile on his face. His books hit the table with a loud smack.

"What's got you so excited?"

"Made a move on Jenna. I think she's finally warming up to me." He gave a slow and approving head nod with a smile. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh please, Elliot. She's got a boyfriend, lay off."

"It's not going to last forever!" He whined.

"It's Jenna, lay off." I warned in a demanding or threatening tone. I then turned back to Danny, "anyways, where were we?"

"Not sure." Danny smiled, and then it dropped when he looked up.

"Um, excuse me." An unfamiliar and not to mention awkward voice piped up. I turned my body halfway around and my eyes traveled from seeing a black V-neck to a gorgeous face of a guy in front of me. His eyes were a beautiful mix between blue and grey. They were captivating. His hair was a dirty blonde and it was the perfect length—not to long and not to short. It was just the way I liked it.

"Yeah?" I asked trying not to be awkward. Oh my God, how long was I staring for?

"Is this seat taken?" he asked, pointing to the empty seat in front of me.

"Oh, uh, no." I moved myself to sit normally.

"Is it alright if I sit here?" he wondered.

"Of course." I tried to smile cute, but it probably failed miserably. Scratch that, I was sure it failed miserably. Gosh I was so insecure.

"I'm Alek by the way." He said once he sat down and turned towards me.

"Alexa." I nodded.

"And I'm Elliot! And that's Danny." Elliot chimed in from the background. Really? He couldn't shut his mouth for five seconds? I turned my head towards him and gave him a 'wrong timing, shut up before I kill you' kind of look. Turning my head back around, I saw Alek smile and wave to the boys.

"Hi." He pursed his lips and focused his attention back to me.

"Are you new or am I just really blind and I've never seen you around school before?" I asked the new guy, who gave off a short laugh at my what seemed to be dumb comment.

"I just got in a few days ago."

"No way," Finally, a reason to continue on talking with this beautiful boy, "I thought I'd be the only new person here all year!"

"At least I'm not alone. That's pretty cool, where'd you move here from?"

"California."

"Ooh, a Hollywood girl." His eyebrows rose.

"Anything but. Beach is more like it. What about you?"

"This really small town in Minnesota. No one's ever heard of it before, I was lucky to get out while I could. Kind of sucks starting out when the second semesters coming around in less than a month. When'd you start out?"

"Late August."

"Oh, so you've been here for a little while."

"Five months, it's getting there."

"Is settling in here that hard?"

"Not at all. You catch on pretty quickly and I made friends in an instant. It definitely wont be hard for you."

"Well, looks like I already made one." He smirked.

"Class, attention, today we're go—who are you? You're not in my class." Mr. Henaley stopped to look at Alek, who had turned back normally in his seat.

"Well, there's a paper from the office on your desk that says I am." He said. The very confused teacher walked over to his desk, picked up the paper and quickly skimmed it.

"It appears so. Welcome to the class Mr. Westburn."

"It's Alek." He corrected. I could spot three girls that were prettier than me look at him. I was already jealous. No, Alexa, stop. Jealousy is ugly and who cares, he's just some guy who's probably a jerk. They're usually rude when they look like that.

Class had gone by fast. Why? Because I was actually enjoying it, unlike most days. We had partnered up and Alek had chosen me, over every other pretty girl that was dying to be his partner! It felt amazing. And while we weren't working together, I was staring at the back of Alek's head. I was pathetic. The bell rang, but I hardly noticed it until a little voice in my head told me to get up. So I did, I shuffled together my papers and slid them into my backpack.

"Well I'm officially completely—" Danny began but was soon cut off.

"Hey, Alexa, I was—oh sorry, Danny is it? Didn't mean to interrupt." Alek apologized.

"It's fine." Danny mumbled.

"Right, uh, would you mind helping me find my next class?"

"Yeah, sure, what do you have?" I asked him. He handed me a white piece of paper, similar to what I had gotten on my first day.

"Your class is on the way to mine. And looks like we have a few classes together." I smiled, handing him back the paper.

"Great." We began to walk.

"Elliot, are you coming?" I noticed he wasn't following me. He was also on the way to my class. Everyday we had walked together.

"Coming!" He caught up to us, we walked out of history together, leaving Danny behind.

"So, welcome to Grove High Alek! You're gonna love it here."

"It's school." He plainly said.

"Yeah I know but still, you get to make good friends and stuff." Elliot shrugged.

"Elliot, quit while your behind." I warned.

"It's fine." Alek laughed.

"Alright, well this is your class, so, see you later?" I stopped walking.

"Sounds good. Thanks Alexa, for helping me out and all." He smiled, taking my hand and kissing it. My heart stopped, and inside, I was dying. I watched as Elliot stared him down.

"See ya." I stopped myself from smiling like an idiot. Maybe I didn't look that bad today after all! Alek walked away and left both Elliot and I speechless.

"Oh my God, what was that?" Jenna squealed and ran up to me.

"I don't know." I paused, completely shocked and a bit confused.

"Oh my God, let's go, you have a lot of explaining to do, starting off with, who was that hottie?" Leaving Elliot standing there, we walked away and towards math.

"His names Alek Westburn, he just moved here from Minnesota, he hates small towns, and by the look of his clothes and backpack, his favorite color is blue."

"And what just happened?"

"He just kissed my hand, which is really weird and old fashion, but totally respected and adorable."

"So whens the wedding?" She joked.

"Very funny. But really, he's such a nice guy."

"Ugh, he sounds perfect. I'd go for him but you two look pretty cute."

"Hello? Jenna? Does Matt not come to mind?" I laughed.

"Who?" She winked.

"Remember that boy that you're dating? Oh yeah, him. That's right." I smiled.

"Come on, dish on everything that happened last period." She demanded.

The shrill sound of the bell of last period rang and in moments, we were all out of our seats. We had just finished up doing a lab, and we didn't want to stick around to clean up.

'Are we still going to the café?" he asked.

"Oh right, I forgot about that."

"We don't have to do it today."

"No, it's good, I'm starving anyways. But, yeah, sure."

"Cool, so I'll go get Elliot and meet you there?"

"Yeah, see you in a few." I said, picking up my backpack and walking out of the room and towards the parking lot. By the time I got there, a lot of the people had left.

"Hey, Alexa!" I heard someone say. It was probably Elliot, who was looking for Danny. Turning around, I was deceived. It was Alek. Oh my God, this was the third or fourth time this day he was catching up to me.

"Hey." I gave a flirtatious wave.

"What's up?" he jogged over to me, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Nothing, just heading to my car. You?"

"Nothing. I just—I wanted to thank you for helping me out today. I would have been so lost without you." He laughed. His laugh was even cute.

"Your so welcome, really, it was nothing."

"You're awesome. Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Wait—Alek, are you doing anything right now?" I asked.

"Nah." He shrugged.

"Do you want to come to this café with Danny, Elliot, and me? We were going to go get something to eat."

"Oh God, are you sure? They barely know me, I don't want to intrude or whatever."

"They'll be fine with it. I promise." I smiled. He nodded his head, agreeing to my invite, and we headed to my car.

We drove down to River Street and as I passed one café and another, I noticed the one where Danny, Elliot, and I had sat a couple of months ago. Where I was attacked by a ghost.

"You okay?" Alek asked. I shook off the memory like it was some dream that never happened.

"Yeah, sorry, day dreaming." I partially lied. I pulled into the parking lot of the café and already saw Danny's car there. Him and Elliot were standing in the parking lot. Parking the car, we both undid our seatbelts and got out of the car.

"Hey Alex—Alek?"

"Hey." Alek smirked to the two boys.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked, sounding hateful.

"I invited him." I chimed in.

"Awesome, so you're eating with us?"

"That's why I'm here." He put his hands in his pocket.

"Cool, let's get a table." Elliot nodded, making an attempt to act cool for once. We all began walking. Well, everyone except Danny.

"Wait—Alexa…" Danny stopped me.

"I'll meet you guys inside." I sighed, walking over to him. He looked annoyed.

"What?" I asked.

"Why did you invite him?" he said

"He's new. Why not?"

"Because it's just supposed to be me, you, and Elliot."

"Jeez, what do you have against him? He's new, just like I was. I would have loved to have someone invite me out like that. Why is your problem with him?"

"He looks like a jerk, I never trust guys like that. Besides it's just another person that could figure out _everything_."

"You're kidding me. He's a really great guy. Why don't you try being nice to him." I gave him a glare before I walked away and into the restaurant. God, what was Danny's problem and what did he have so much against Alek? He wouldn't be figuring the secret out, we fooled everyone already. He was just one more person to fool. He had no clue who Danny Phantom was anyways, and he never would.


	30. And Then We Were Four

**A/N: Hi guys! Here's chapter 30, can you believe it's been 30 chapters already? Gosh, I can't believe it. This story should be around 40-45 chapters. But long chapters! And be expecting a sequel! I have a lot of future stuff written out, I just have this thing where I edit a lot of my work multiple times. LOL, anyways I've been busy lately watching h2o, VD, and pretty little liars, which are all getting so intense! And I can't believe that VD was pushed off till February 2****nd****, that sucks :[ But anyways enough of my rant, here's chapter 30! I'm excited to write the next chapter! Ye!**

_Chapter Thirty_

_And Then We Were Four _

_Chapter Song: The One That Got Away by Katy Perry_

More than a week later, Alek had got settled in to the strange, mysterious town of Savannah while Danny had finally warmed up to him. _Finally_. It took a while but I literally had to force him to. Over the weekend, I had hung out with the all three boys—Danny, Elliot, and even Alek. I was surprised I could even get them in a room together. I had sorted my plan out before I even got to being with them. I casually used the excuse of that Jeremy needed my car and I could see them later so that all of them could have some alone time to bond. And they did, thanks to me.

"Okay class, now that you've learned about this lesson, go ahead and proceed with the lab. And if some of you weren't listening, like Alexa or Cassidy," My head shot up when the chemistry teacher called my name, "you'll be first taking a sample of blood from each of your partners and you'll be analyzing it. Easy enough? Alright, go ahead." We were left to do our work. The reddening in my cheeks had faded from the embarrassment of my name being called out.

"Alright, let's do this." I sighed, staring at the objects in front of us on a table. Two needle probes, four band-aids, plastic microscope slides, and paper towels were laying on a metal lab tray. Next to it, was a microscope. Our objective today was to take a sample of blood from each other and study it. It was quite a terrible lab, I hated to do it, but I was forced to. Reluctantly, I picked up the needle probe and stared at it for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked.

"Huh? Oh nothing, I just don't like blood. Bad experiences." I shrugged.

"Common." He nodded his head. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I held up my hand, looked upwards, and dragged the needle across my palm. A small bit of blood began to pool out. I made a fist and let two drops of blood fall onto the plastic platelet. Wiping my hand of the extra blood, I turned towards Danny.

"Your turn." I let out a breath of relief. Danny looked like he was deep in thought.

"Danny?"

"Oh my God."

"What?" I furrowed my brows.

"They're going to be able to tell I'm a ghost." He looked up to me.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"My blood. It was ectoplasm in it. Humans don't have that, ghosts do."

"Then just don't show him it."

"I wouldn't but he's going around and looking at everybody's." He looked over to where the teacher was standing with another pair of students, looking into the microscope.

"Fine." I quietly answered. Looking around to make sure no one was specifically watching us, I repeated the process I had did moments ago: cutting a small line in my palm and clenched my fist over the slide.

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Danny spoke up when I was done.

"We don't need your secret getting out." I said, looking down while applying two band-aids to my hand, "now put this on before he gets suspicious." I handed him a band-aid.

"Thanks."

"Alexa, Danny," Dr. Kingston walked over to us, "how are you doing with your lab?"

"Fine." Danny answered for the two of us.

"And Alexa, try paying some more attention during my lessons."

"Right, sorry." I pursed my lips.

"Good. Now, let me take a look at these slides." He put his eye to the microscope. He wouldn't notice it was the same blood, right? Of course he wouldn't, there was no way.

"Well children…"he straightened up, "looks good, now write down everything. You both better get going, class is almost over." He walked on to the next pair of partners; I let out a silent sigh of relief.

"Okay that was way to close, let's hope we're never doing that again." Along with the rest of the student body, Danny and I walked out the front doors of the school and to their cars.

"What was close?" Elliot caught up and walked beside me, him to my left and Danny to my right. How he always managed to catch up to as at the perfect timing I would never know.

"Blood tests in Chemistry." Danny explained.

"Right, I forgot to tell you guys about that." Elliot rubbed the back of his neck.

"You knew?" I turned my head towards him, slightly offended.

"Yeah." He simply shrugged like it was nothing. "What?" He noticed my annoyed expression.

"You could have told me." I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry, I—" Elliot began but was cut off. A shiny, brand new, metallic black series 3 BMW convertible sped up and stopped right in front of us. All three of us stopped in our places. If we went to take three steps forward three seconds ago, we would have been dead. Thankfully we weren't.

"_Whoooaaa_, hello beautiful." Elliot's eyebrows rose looking at the car. Even I was impressed, and I didn't like cars—correction, I didn't care. Slowly, the tinted passenger door window rolled down to reveal who was in the drivers seat. Alek. Though I didn't see, both of my friends changed expressions' changed. Elliot looked completely surprised while on the other hand, Danny's smile had dropped and formed a frown. I was in complete opposites with them, my lips curled up into a smile.

"Hey, Alexa, want a ride?" He asked, peeking down to see my face. I could barely even answer him; I just nodded my head and smiled.

"I'll come with!" Elliot offered, taking a step forward. Alek looked at him slightly—scratch that, very annoyed.

"Maybe next time." When I was about to take a step towards Alek's car, Danny stopped me.

"Umm, hello, what about your brother and your car?" He looked to the keys that were jingling in my hand.

"Hey 'lex, let's go!" As if it was right on queue, my brothers voice came from behind.

"Looks like he'll be driving himself home." I said to Danny, swiped myself around, and looked for Jeremy, who I found immediately.

"I'll be home later." I threw him the keys, not bothering to watch if he caught them or not. I knew he did when I didn't hear them smacking onto the cement.

"See yah." I walked away from the guys, opened Alek's door and got in.

"Hey." He smirked.

"Nice car." Alek drove off.

"It was a little gift."

"A little?" I laughed.

"I'm kidding." He chuckled, "where too?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Keep going straight."

"And this is leading to your house?"

"Yes, which you are welcome to stay at for however long you want."

"Well, are you up to anything tonight?"

"Normal Thursday night, nothing but homework."

"Speaking of homework, can you help me with—hey, what happen to your hand?"

"Kingston's class."

"Does he usually do really weird labs like that?"

"Thank God, I thought I was the only one who thought that was creepy, disgusting, and slightly insane."

"I'm taking it as you don't like taking blood."

"Me and my ridiculous fears."

"Well all fears have stories."

"There's multiple reasons."

"Like?"

"Okay, there questions are getting stranger." I laughed.

"Oh come on, I've got to get to know you somehow."

"Yeah, but there's a borderline from getting to know you and creepy back stories. Besides, I thought we already got through the whole awkward questioning stage?"

"I mean, not exactly."

"Aren't we a bit old for twenty questions?"

"Is it so wrong that I want to get to know you?" He questioned, taking a glance at me for a moment. I sighed.

"Fine. Go ahead, shoot with the questions."

"Birthday?"

"November 17th."

"Favorite food?"

"Uh, anything Italian."

"Siblings?"

"One, my brother Jeremy."

"Favorite color."

"Tie between lavender and light blue."

"Songs?"

"I've got way to many."

"Beach or City?"

"Beach."

"California or Savannah?" I paused, thinking about it.

"My whole life was based in California and I just got here a few months ago, which seems disbelieving. I had so many memories there but it's different here. I'm closer to my brother, I've made better friends, and I'm closer with everyone."

"So if you had the chance to go back you wouldn't?"

"Probably not."

"Good, everyone would miss you to much." He chuckled. Five minutes later, we pulled into my driveway.

"Sure you want me to come in?" He asked, shutting off the car.

"Yeah." I shrugged, picking up my backpack and getting out of the car. There were no cars in the driveway, meaning no one was home. Perfectly fine with me. Meanwhile, as Alek was getting out of the car, I went over to the mailbox and took out the gigantic pile of mail.

"Does any one check this thing?" I muttered to myself. There had to be mail in here from last week. Good thing I was running the family.

"Doors open." I said, slowly catching up to him. Once inside, I took my bag off and let it slump to the floor. Then, I began shuffling through the pile of mail. _Useless magazine, bills, bills, bills, magazines, coupons, and more bills, _I thought. I put the useless mail on the small table next to the front door.

"Wow, that's a lot of mail." He noticed.

"I don't think anyone in my house realizes there's such thing as a mail box."

"Well, I'm sure now they do. So, where to?" He asked.

"Hold on…" I put up my index finger telling him to stop talking. After putting another bill down on the table, a crisp, off white, fancy envelope with black script writing on the front that was addressed to 'Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Pennington, Jeremy and Alexa'. Flipping it over, a blood red wax seal was holding the envelope shut. Engraved into the wax seal was the letters VM.

"V-M? As in Vlad Masters?" I didn't realize, but I said it aloud.

"Oh, you got that too." Alek realized.

"What? You got this too?" Was this not just a letter telling him about what I did a few months back.

"I'm pretty sure everyone in town got it." He shrugged. With a furrow of my brows, I slid my finger under the flap of the envelope and opened it. Inside sat another piece of paper. Folding it open, I quickly skimmed it.

_The Mayor, Vladimir Masters, requests the pleasure of the company of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Pennington along with Jeremy and Alexa Pennington at a gala in honor of celebrating and Mr. Masters and his fifth year in office. To be held at the Master Estate on the evening of Saturday, December 10th, 2011 at seven o'clock. Black tie affair._

"I can't believe he invited me." I whispered in disbelief.

"What? Why?"

"We've had our share of differences." I plainly admitted.

"Getting in trouble with the law? Didn't know that was your thing." He laughed, quite surprised by my unknown actions.

"It's not. Vlad Masters is just an arrogant jerk who doesn't know how to run his own job. He's reckless."

"Yet another back story I don't know."

"It's not worth getting in to. We just fought over something dumb and he burned down a building and blamed it on something else, I just happened to be there."

"You were there? In the building? While it was burning?"

"N-No. I meant I just saw him. I wouldn't be alive if I was in the building." I laughed it off and turned away to walk towards a kitchen. After my face was completely turned a way from Alek, I gave an expression of relief that he didn't see through my act. God, I was a great liar. But that wasn't something to be proud of.

We had dropped the subject of Vlad's big party after settling down and began doing our history homework, which was a total drag, but I enjoyed Alek's company. Not once did we run out of things to talk about, which was great. And the best part of it was that we didn't talk about ghosts once. That was my favorite part of everything. I've never felt so relieved to have a break from the continuous conversations of our paranormal problems.

"So are you gonna go?" Alek asked.

"Go to what?" I obliviously asked, my head buried in my history book.

"The mayors event."

"I never actually thought about it. What about you, are you gonna go?"

"Well, I was thinking, maybe, we could go together." He said. Finally, I picked my head up to look at him. "Like you know, as friends, or not. We're pretty close now so I figured why not. I don't know to many people and I figured going to some town event would be semi helpful. I totally get if you don't want to go though, you've got reasons."

"No, no, that's just past stuff, all put behind. That sounds good, I think we should." I smiled, inside I was freaking out. No way did he just ask me out to go to some

"So it's a date then?" he smirked.

"Only if you drive."

"You sure your friends won't mind?"

"There's no reason for them to." I shrugged.

A short while after asking me to go to the Masters celebration, Alek left to go back to his house after he realized he didn't have his phone on him. That, and it had gotten quite awkward once Shylee arrived home. After he left she had flooded me with questions asking all the basics, 'who was that, are you guys dating, when did you become friends?'. I hadn't stayed around for any more questions; I had grabbed my stuff and headed up to my room, sprawling my books, my homework, and my phone across my bed. It was complicated doing my homework, I was to happy. I tried to remember when I had a time as good as the one I had just shared with Alek. It made me realize how much I missed being normal. There were no problems; it was just normal teenage stuff. As usual, that thought was pushed aside and into the back of my mind. _Just be thankful you have someone that's normal in your life,_ I told myself. Jotting down a note in my book, I looked to see my phone buzzing beside me. Though I expected to see Danny's name popup on the caller ID, it was Elliot.

"Hey. I answered.

"Can you drive me somewhere?"

"Well, hello to you too."

"Seriously, can you drive me somewhere?"

"What's going on?"

"Danny's at school because some ghost led him there and he needs me to give him the thermos."

"And somehow you have it?"

"He forgot it at my house, come on." He begged.

"Okay, okay, I'll leave now, calm down." I forced, and without one more word from him, I hung up. Checking the clock beside my bed, I noticed it was nearly nine. Quickly, grabbing my phone and keys I walked out of my room and hastily went to the car.

"And where do you think you're going?" I turned on my heel to find my dad standing outside the kitchen.

"Oh, hi."

"Yeah, hi, where do you think you're going at this hour?"

"I forgot my Chemistry homework at Elliot's house. And I've got to finish it up because it's do in the morning." I lied.

"He can't bring it to you?"

"He can't drive."

"Fine. Promise me you'll be back quickly?"

"With in the hour hopefully."

"Hopefully?"

"His house is a bit far and he's got to explain a few things to me for a test tomorrow."

"Fine, fine, go ahead. Make it as quick as possible, I don't want you being out so late."

"Okay, where is he?" Elliot asked, walking through the suspiciously opened front door of the school. Did Danny unlock those doors or was someone else here?

"If we knew I'm sure we wouldn't be standing here." I noticed. We listened to see if we could hear any clues of where Danny could be, and lucky for us, a loud crash erupted from the west wing of the school. We ran down the hallway in search for our friend, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Did I not tell you to leave it at the front?" Danny's voice appeared. He was somewhere here. Lifting the invisible force he had on himself, Danny appeared at the end of the hallway. A loud crashing noise came from the adjacent hallway near Danny and once more, he disappeared. Moments later, he appeared next to us. We both gasped at the sight and surprise of Danny appearing next to us.

"You've got to stop doing that." I let out a breath.

"I told you to leave it at the front!" Danny whispered with aggravation.

"I'm sorry! You weren't there!" Elliot whined.

"Can I have it?" After an eye roll, Danny put his hand out, Elliot handed him the metal object.

"Okay, can someone explain to me what's going on?" I asked.

"There's something chasing me and it keeps saying it's after something, but not specifying about what exactly it is." When Danny finished his sentence, a blue mist escaped his mouth. Perfect timing.

"I suggest we get out of here." Danny focuses his eyes on the end of the hallway.

"And I suggest that there's three of us and one of it, that we split up." He added.

"Good plan." I gulped.

"I'll go that way." Elliot pointed.

"I got this hallway." I began backing up into it.

"I'll go save the day as usual." Danny sighed. But before any of us could make one more move, the lights just in the hallway we were in shut off. Then there were the sounds of the lockers being punched in.

"Okay, now's the time to go. Go." Danny demanded. Elliot and I ran opposite directions while Danny went off to go fight off yet another ghost. Winding through the halls, I made my way back to the exit. I could just sit in my car until this was over, right? I turned the corner but immediately stopped in my tracks. In front of the doors was a shadowed figure. I couldn't tell exactly what it was, I'd never seen a ghost like it. It was black mist shaping into the form of a human body. It was blocking my way to freedom. It was silent. I wasn't sure whether or not to go through it or to walk away.

"Anna, very nice to see you again." The voice said…but how? The figure had no mouth or face. My conscious told me to walk—run away. Great, the confusion between Anna and I again. Slowly, step-by-step, I backed up and began running. When I turned around another corner, the black shadow man was in front of me. I yelped and then scampered back.

"Anna, doesn't running get old?" The voice rang from above. Okay, plan B. Retracing my steps, I ran back down the same hallway and then down another. I kept looking behind me making sure the shadow wasn't following me, but he was a ghost, he could have been anywhere. But just being careful that I had lost the figure, I thought of a quick plan. I knew exactly where I was, what hallway and everything. Making a sharp left, I saw one of the English classrooms on the left. It's window facing the inside hallway was covered by dark blue drapes, so there was no way the ghost could see me in there. I ran into the room, which lights were still on, and locked the door. Locking the door was stupid on my part since the ghost could get in here whether or not it was locked or not. I turned around, ready to go look out the window, but I stopped in my tracks and screamed.

"Alexa?"

"Alek?" I put a hand over my heart, trying to control my heavy breathing. "What are you doing here?" I breathed out, finally being able to maintain my heart rate.

"Left this in class." He flipped up his wrist to reveal his iPhone, "janitor let me in."

"Right." I let a breath out, my head spinning from so many events going on at once.

"What's going on? Why are you here?" He asked. Before I could answer, there was a loud pounding noise coming from the other side of the door.

"Alexa! Let me in!" Danny yelled. Perfect timing Danny, I mean really, you couldn't have disappeared for a few more minutes?

"Is that Danny?" Alek's brows furrowed. He was becoming more confused by the minute.

"Um, yeah." I bit my lip, turned away and walked over to the door. I unlocked it and gave Danny a serious stare trying to warn him. As if he was telepathically going to read my mind, he could fly and turn invisible, but still couldn't do that. Thank God he was back in his normal form. Alek would have been very confused

"What was the—Alek?" Danny stopped, very confused.

"Okay, what's going on here?" Alek crossed his hands over his chest.

"Um, well, we…" Danny began. He was usually a pro at coming up with quick lies, but this was just to unexpected.

"I forgot my Chemistry book in my locker, so I went to go get it and then when I went back to my car, it wouldn't turn on. So I called Danny."

"And he fixed your car?"

"Yeah, good as new."

"Wait, that still doesn't make sense, why'd you come in here then, you look like you just saw a ghost." Danny and I stopped breathing. He was dangerously close to finding out.

"I'm not gonna lie, don't get freaked out by this or anything but," I could feel Danny tensing up and cursing me out in his head, wondering what I was going to say, "there was some really creepy guy here and he started chasing us, so we split up, and I came here." I said with a surprisingly straight face.

"What? Are you serious? Why the hell are you just standing here, why didn't anyone call the police?"

"He ran away." Danny stepped in.

"What?"

"Guys? Guys where are you!" Elliot's voice came from outside the hallway. Once again, my friends had such perfect timing. Alek looked at me, trying to figure out what was going on. He was so confused.

"Did I mention Elliot's here too?" I gave a non-suspicious smile and brought my shoulders up.

"Elliot had some fake police siren on his phone and he scared him off." Danny lied. Wow, that was good lie, even for Danny.

"Right…okay well let's get out of here before he comes back. I'd rather not end up on the eleven o'clock news." Alek pursed his lips, shoved his phone into his pocket. We all walked out together.

"There you guys are, I'm guessing that—hey! Alek! What are you doing here?" Elliot became a bit happier.

"And here we go again." He sighed.

"Okay, I don't know about you guys but I'm going to my car before the crazy psycho path comes back. Who am I driving back?" I asked. Elliot raised a finger.

"Me." Elliot said. All four of us headed out towards the front entrance of the school.

"Alek, where's your car? I didn't see it when I parked."

"Oh, it's on the other side near the gym or something like that. Still a little confused of where everything is."

"Do you want me to drive you over there? It's kind of a far walk."

"Oh yeah, sure." He shrugged. Reaching the front doors, Alek opened them first.

"Wait-Alexa. Before you leave…" Danny stopped walking. I turned around and looked at him before I looked back to Alek and Elliot.

"Uh, my cars open, I'll be right there." I told them. They shrugged, Elliot hesitated for a moment whether or not to stay or go outside with Alek, but he decided to stay with Alek. Once the doors were closed, I turned back to Danny, who was now standing right next to me.

"What?"

"Did you know Vlad's having some kind of party next week?"

"Yeah, I got the invitation in the mail today. I had to talk to you about that. You got it too?"

"Yeah, what do you think he's up to?"

"I don't think he's up to anything. You I would understand to invite but me, he hates me, that's what I don't get."

"Okay, that's just weird. There's something not right about it, it seems suspicious."

"I think you're just over thinking it, Danny."

"He tried to kill me, I'll over think it all I want. It's in his mansion so I'm sure we could find something in their as proof. I want to know if he's planning to kill me again."

"We?"

"Yeah, I think we should all go together and figure out what's going on." He said.

"But…Alek…" I bit my lip.

"Ugh God, he's always in the way. Whatever, he can come too, but he better not get in the way of anything."

"No, Alek already asked me…and we were going together." I uncomfortably answered. There was a dead silence for a few seconds.

"Fine. Then Elliot and I will look for the stuff. But at least you'll be there to help us if we need any. Just make sure he doesn't get in the way of anything, I don't need him finding out."

"As promised before, it won't happen." I swore, "see you tomorrow." I nodded. Danny walked off the other way and I walked out the front doors.

"What was that about?" Elliot asked, I was surprised to see that they were standing in the front waiting for me.

"Nothing." I shook my head.


	31. Fool Me Once

**A/N: My goodness I hope this 5,000 word chapter makes up for me not updating for a month. This chapter took me a while to write, I wanted to make it perfect, and I still don't think it's spot on, but I figured you guys should get another chapter before you forget about me…or this story. Well, hope you guys enjoy how long this is! This is a part one out of two thing, if I fit any more in here it would have been like 10,000 words aka way to long. Enjoy! BTW If you want to see Jenna & Alexa's dress, I'll give the link at the bottom of the chapter. **Just a little insider: We found Love is Alek & Alexa's Dance and A Thousand Years is Danny & Alexa's dance. I thought it suit them both well. **

Chapter Thirty-One:

Fool Me Once

Chapter Song: We Found Love (cover) by: Boyce Avenue/ A Thousand Years by: Christina Perri

"So why are you so excited for this thing? Vlad has these parties every year. Five years in office is no difference than having four." Jenna commented, shuffling through the piles of hanging dresses. The two of us could be found down town, doing last minute shopping at one of the local boutiques called _Le Charmant. _I didn't even have to look or say another word for Jenna to get what was going through my mind.

"Oh my God he asked you, didn't he?" She gasped.

"Wow, you got it on the first try." I laughed.

"Seriously? When and how? Tell me!" She demanded.

"It's nothing major, we're just going as friends."

"Yeah, sure. You're friends for now, then the day after the party, you two will be hooking up in the hallway. But whoa, I can't believe you didn't tell me. What are Danny and Elliot saying about this? They must be pissed."

"Elliot's fine with it. I'm convinced he's having a bromance with Alek, they've been bonding a lot."

"And Danny?"

"Danny on the other hand is a different story." I sighed, not bothering to look at her.

"Oh no, what did he do?" Jenna stopped looking at dresses and crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's just…he doesn't like Alek. He never did. When I told him, he got pissed off and walked away."

"Let me guess, he was edgy."

"_Super_ edgy."

"I'm telling you, he's jealous."

"No, he's not, he just doesn't like Alek for multiple reasons that I'm still not aware of." I half lied. Danny didn't like Alek because he was a new addition to the group. He was terrified his secret would be blown. News flash to him, I've been keeping his secret from the second I knew. Elliot told someone, my brother of all people, before I've ever said a word to someone.

"Is that weird, being in a group where two people like you and one doesn't?"

"You mean from Alek's perspective? Oh my God Jenna, it's so awkward. Uncomfortable might be more of the word. It gets so bad at times to the point that Danny is silent the entire time."

"Well, I was meaning from your perspective. The tension must be killing you."

"The only thing that's killing me is the tension coming off from Danny towards Alek."

"Because he likes you."

"No, because he doesn't like Alek. And of course, Eliot is no help to that."

"I can imagine. He can be a handful from what I've seen."

"You've got that right. Ooh, I like this," I paused, taking a hanger holding a white dress off the rack.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"I don't know, because everything that's been going on with Nick."

"Alexa, when I first hooked up with Nick, you were the first person I called. And I'm just finding out about you and Alek?"

"I'm sorry. It's just—I don't know how I feel about it yet. All I do know, is that it's breaking Danny and I apart."

"Well you said yes, didn't you? That must mean you know how you feel. And as for Danny, he'll come down."

"Enough about Danny and Alek. What's going on with you and Nick?" Nick Sandler was Jenna's boyfriend she'd been going out with for five months prior three days ago.

"I haven't said a word to him. I deleted him off my contacts, Facebook, video chat, and whatever else I had him on. I threw away all his pictures—actually I ripped them up and tosses them in the fire place."

"I still can't believe it."

"How dare he cheat on me and with Rachel freaking Bradely."

"Sorry you never exactly caught me up on this…who's Rachel?"

"His ditzy neighbor. He claimed that we were best friends and she knew about us the whole time. They're still going out, he didn't bother breaking up with her. But you know what? Who needs him, I know I don't! I've got you, Kaitlyn, and everyone else. I've got plenty of guy friends who would want to go out with me. Screw her, screw him!"

"Agreed. You're to good for him anyways." I said.

"Maybe this party will be good for me. Hopefully, someone will make a move."

"You've got a hundred guys lining up for you, there's got to be one guy you'll find to be perfect." Jenna's eyes became watery.

"Thanks for cheering me up, and taking me out here today. It's been rough for the past few days and I think I gained a couple pounds from eating God knows how many pints of Ben and Jerry's. It just tastes so good and made me feel better about myself, but not so much while trying these dresses on." She giggled, letting a few tears roll down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away but a few more replaced them.

"Oh Jenna, don't cry." I gave her a hug. The few dresses draped over my arm got smashed between us.

"I thought I loved him. I thought he loved me! We were perfect for each other."

"He doesn't deserve you, for what he pulled he doesn't deserve any girl. There are so many better guys for you out there, guys that'll actually care for you and will put you first. This is just a bump in the road. Don't cry over him, he's not worth your time."

"Sorry, no, I never cry." She broke off the hug, turning her face away to wipe away the tears like they never happened. Somehow, her eyeliner stayed perfect. Though she pretended as if she was okay for the rest of our shopping trip, I could tell how often she was thinking about Nick and how much he hurt her.

That afternoon our mall trip had ended a half hour after Jenna's quick break down. I eventually broke down and bought a white floor length dress thought it happened to be out of my price range. It happened to be one of my favorites and in the end, Jenna was the one to convince me to buy it. I was reluctant at first, but she assured me that every girl there would be wearing something similar to what we bought. 'We won't stand out a bit', Jenna had said while I was paying the cashier at the boutique on Thursday. Jenna on the other hand decided to go all out and spend four hundred dollars to get this extravagant floor length royal blue ball gown loaded with sequins and rhinestones. In her words, she wanted to dress to impress since there would be a hand full of single guys there.

Coming back to present day, I looked at myself in the mirror. I was ready. I examined my dress—the color had sustained flawlessly white, the sequins that lined the sweetheart neckline were intact, and the length of the dress still touched the floor even with my heels being on. My makeup and hair were finished after two hours. It was two very long hours. It was worth it, everything was perfect. I had made it that way, two hours was a lot of time to put into my hair and face. I had curled my hair and parted it so it was all on my left side. Occasionally, a few strands would fall down and end up on my back, but I stopped fidgeting with it since it continued to make me frustrated. I didn't look as good as I envisioned I would, but that was my insecurity talking. Walking out of my room to retrieve my crystal triple drop earrings I had left in the bathroom, I watched as Jeremy took a step out of his room at the same time.

"I thought you left."

"Still here." He clearly stated.

"Don't you have to go pick up Allison?"

"She said six thirty."

"It's six." I crossed my hands over my chest.

"Damn it." He rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair.

"See you later."

"Do you think she'll get mad if I'm la—"

"Dumb question, not even answering that. Just go."

"Alright, alright, bye." He sprinted down the stairs and in seconds, the front door was slammed shut. Shaking my head and silently laughing, I walked into the bathroom and immediately spotted the earrings on the counter. Slipping them in, I walked back into my room and took my original spot in front of the mirror. There was a certain thing on my neck I couldn't help but continue to stare at—the locket Danny had given me for my birthday. It had been around my neck ever since my birthday. Was it proper to be wearing this to such a fancy event? No, let me reword that: Was it proper to be wearing this on a 'date' with Alek? Most of my mind said it was fine, but part of my mind disagreed and said no. Reluctantly, I went with the side of me that was chanting no. My neck felt naked without it on—I'd been wearing it for a straight month. This wasn't right, I had to have it on. And so, as if I were repeating my actions, I put it back on. _Where is Alek? He said he would pick me up right about now, _I thought. As almost as if it was on que, in that moment the doorbell rang. Rushing over to the window, I spotted Alek's car in the driveway. _Yes, finally we could leave,_ the voice in my head squealed. Before I ran—well, as fast as I could in my four inch heels—down stairs, I did one last mirror check. This was as good as it was going to get.

"Hi." I greeted with a warming smile after opening the front door. Alek was dressed in a suit, like every other guy attending the party, but I could guarantee that he was the most attractive guy there.

"Well, don't you look nice." He raised a brow and gave me his signature smirk that he did on a regular basis. The sunlight being let off by the gorgeous sunset behind Alek brought out the highlights in his hair. It even made his eyes look brighter. This night was already perfect, and it had started less than seven and a half seconds ago.

Casually, hand and hand, Alek and I walked up the long driveway to Vlad's hotel sized mansion. By the time we arrived, the romantic sunset had set and it was pitch black outside. Apparently, the mansion happened to be in the next town over and with the amount of traffic with it being a Saturday night, it took us an hour to get here. What seemed to be a mile long drive way was lined with lamps, helping us with our vision along the way. From what I could see, Vlad's mansion was just about as packed as an airport would be. People were lined up waiting to enter the large front doors. My mind couldn't help but wonder where Danny and Elliot were in this mess. If Danny was still pissed off at me for this, I swear I could kill him if he wasn't already half dead.

"What's wrong?" Alek asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Why would something be wrong?" I innocently questioned.

"Oh, I don't know. Your pulse jumped, thought you were nervous or something." He simply shrugged.

"Nope," I gave a fake smile, "I'm good." Eventually, we fully made our way up the driveway and up to the front doors.

"Name?" The bouncer dressed in all black looked down to us.

"Alek Westburn and Alexa Pennington." Alek answered for me. The bouncer searched down the list and then nodded.

"Go ahead." He suspiciously answered, giving me a look. _Just ignore him_, Alexa. The inside of Vlad's mansion could put the White House to shame. Welcoming us, the sound of 'How To Save A Life' was being played on the piano, and weaving in with the sounds of people talking. Dangling icicle lights decorated the entire room, giving it a warm golden glow. Garland lights were draped against the double staircase, making the place even more festive. Besides the decorations making the place look festive, the people looked pretty happy themselves. I swear, I've never seen so many people in my life. The whole town had to be here. Jenna was correct, every teenage girl and older woman here was wearing a floor length dress. Some were wearing ball gowns. It was making me feel so underdressed. As for my prediction, I was also right; every guy here was wearing a suit. Alek still looked the best out of the group. That feeling that I was being watched took over me again. Turning my head back around, I still found the bouncer staring me down. My pulse jumped as a shiver was sent down my back, most likely making Alek suspicious again.

"Why are you looking at him with your serious-concerned look?" Alek asked.

"My 'serious-concerned look'?" I laughed.

"It's different from your worried-nervous look. Neither of which stray to far from your hey-it's-Tuesday look." He smiled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, trying not to sound offended.

"I want you to lighten up tonight. You've been nervous and worried for the past week; I've noticed it. I want you to feel okay tonight. I don't know what's exactly wrong, but you can tell me."

"I'm just nervous about Vlad, that's all. I promise." I partially lied.

"He won't do anything to you, I promise. And if he does, that's going to be an issue." He smiled.

"Thank you." I smiled back.

"Well if it helps, you look stunning if it isn't obvious."

"Thank you." I squeezed his hand. Alek squeezed mine in reassurance.

"Hey Alek! Alexa!" Elliot, accompanied by Danny, walked up to us. Both of them were fashioning suits, Elliot having a blue shirt underneath and Danny a white one.

"Hey." I smiled, waiting to see if Danny would say a word.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to go get a drink. Want anything, Alexa?" Alek asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"I'm good, thanks." Alek walked off.

"So, how's your date going?" Danny asked with spite in his voice.

"Would you just trust me? Drop this already, nothings gonna happen."

"I hope you keep that promise." What has gotten into Danny?

"Have you gone on your investigation to see what Vlad's 'hiding'?"

"No, I was waiting till later when it was more busy and when I knew exactly where he was."

"Excuse me," a loud voice came from the stairs. The clanking of glasses rang against the walls. On the top of the stairs, was the grey haired mayor in a fancy tuxedo and matching bowtie.

"Think I found him." I looked to Danny. We all looked up towards him.

"Excuse me everyone, quiet please!" Vlad announced. The roars of voices hushed and in no time, it was silent. Next to Vlad stood a red headed woman dressed in a black evening gown. She didn't look very happy. In Vlad's hands was a clear champagne glass filled with the golden colored alcohol. Neither Danny nor Elliot recognized the woman, who was she?

"Welcome everyone. Thank you for joining us tonight. Since I can see most of us are having fun and just getting settled, I'll make this short. I love this time of year, when we're all brought together like this. It celebrates my many years to come in office and the upcoming holidays and New Year awaiting us. So, with a hopeful heart, I'm wishing you all a merry Christmas, a very happy Hanukah, and a terrifically healthy two thousand twelve. Now, if you could all find yourselves a partner, please join us in the main ball room." Vlad finished. His eyes glazed over the crowd as if he was looking for a specific someone. He finally spotted me, along with Danny and Elliot, and gave us a disbelievingly friendly smile. Though Danny and Elliot were also staring up at him, Vlad only met eye contact with me. Just as I was about to walk away, I felt something brush up against my hand and take a hold of it. Startled, I quietly gasped, but only to find that it was Alek.

"Let's go." He smiled, taking my hand and gently leading me away from my friends and into the next room.

"So I'm taking it as that was Mayor Masters."

"Correct."

"Has he said anything to you?"

"Nothing yet." I lied, not wanting to talk about Vlad with Alek anymore. As we walked into the main ballroom, I watched as the band, consisting of four members, got ready to perform.

"Up for a dance?" He asked.

"Shall we?" I asked, holding out my arm to Alek who seemed to be looking very pleased with himself at the moment.

We made our way into the crowd of couples that had begun to slow dance. Soon enough we had too. The band began to sing a piano acoustic cover of Rihanna's '_We Found Love'_. As the song played on, neither of us talked. We slowly danced with each other, enjoying the rhythm of the music.

"Feeling un-nervous yet?" Alek gave me a compassionate smile, making me melt as I nodded my head. My eyes warmed and my lips curved into a smile.

"You were right about me being anxious the past week. I've been in a small fight with Danny, and it's been bothering me."

"He has been unusually quiet the past week. What's the fight about, if you don't mind me asking."

"I don't know. He's been stand offish, he's barely talked to me the whole week."

"Don't let it upset you, he's not worth it."

"I guess you're right. Thanks for getting my mind off of it tonight, I needed it."

"You're so welcome, and any time you need it, tell me. And we'll do this again." The blood rushed up to my cheeks, causing them to turn rosy. As Alek danced me around, my eyes focused behind him. I glanced over at Danny, who was standing with Elliot next to one of the high top cocktail tables. He wasn't looking too thrilled to be allowing Alek to escort me here, let alone dance with me. His gaze going directly towards me caused my own to flick over to him. My expression change from a warmed smile to one of sympathy. I could feel the bodice of my dress begin to restrict the air from getting to my lungs, but it wasn't the dress that was causing this, it was Danny. I felt like I was suffocating under all the pressure he was putting towards me. And to think that I wasn't doing anything wrong.

Song by song passed, each being slow and romantic. I had forgotten about Danny and Elliot, I had forced myself to. And one I did, my night was enjoyable. Studying Alek's face as we silently danced with each other, I could swear his eyes tenses and he nodded. His eyes were focused behind me. What was wrong with him? As we danced, Alek spun me outwards and let go of my hand. From the one spin I did, with almost tripping on my heels, I became unaware of my surroundings, and landed back in Alek's arms. Except once I looked back up, it wasn't Alek, it happened to be Danny. We looked at each other for a few long and silent moments until I turned my head around to Alek, who seemed perfectly fine that I was with Danny. Now the fact that he nodded his head to someone other than me made sense.

"Give me a minute." I whispered to Alek. He nodded and walked off into the direction where Elliot was standing. Danny kept his hands laced with mine and we began to dance. This felt awkward. I was on a date with Alek, and I was dancing with Danny.

"He dances," I gave off a quick laugh, "and I didn't even have to beg." I delightfully smiled, thinking back to homecoming where Danny refused to dance.

"It'd be rude not to dance you know." Danny said, amused.

"You are aware I'm here with Alek, right?" I looked at him, uncertain of his intentions.

"Oh, very aware. But Vlad dragged me out here, didn't exactly want to get dressed up for this." This was making me uncomfortable; I probably should get back to Alek. This was rude. But then, the sympathy took over me. Though I was uncertain with the fact I was dancing with a guy that wasn't my date, Danny was my best friend and by going to the ball with Alek, it someone hurt him.

"One dance won't hurt." I finally broke down. Our conversation turned dead once again, leaving the open air between us filled in by the music. The band had taken a break and left the stage, now the unseen DJ was playing music off of a laptop. Danny lifted up his arm and turned me.

"I'm sorry." Danny openly apologized after I was face to face with him again.

"For?"

"For being a jerk. I'll admit that I've been pissed because I thought _he_ would by mistakenly find out, but you've hid this for a while, so I should believe you." Finally, he realized he was wrong. Maybe all of this tension between him and Alek could finally be put to an end.

"Thank you for trusting me." For the second time tonight, I sympathetically smiled. I didn't fully believe Danny on trusting me, but I accepted his apology. It was hard to realize that there was always going to be tension between them, whether Danny apologized or not.

"So, how's your night so far?" I asked.

"Lousy." He shyly admitted. He didn't even look me in the eye.

"That bad?"

"Vlad's been on the move all night, so I haven't had the chance to go up to his office yet. Other than trying to track him down, I've been listening to Elliot explaining over and over how he's going to hit on Jenna."

"Well, at least try to enjoy the moment right now."

"I am." He grinned. My cheeks turned red again and my lips curled up into a smile. I'd barely noticed as we had continued to talk from the moment he started dancing with me, that I had become comfortable with Danny once again. Being with him instead of Alek didn't feel so wrong after all. It was if as time had stood still, and it was just us talking.

"It took you about thirty seconds to get Vlad's attention." Danny brought up.

"He's acting strange. I'm beginning to agree with you on being suspicious."

"Ah, so you do trust me."

"For now at least." I watched Vlad in the back of the room with a glass of champagne still occupying his hand.

"Stop staring, it's creepy." Danny whispered.

"I want to know what he's up to."

"Yeah so do I, that's why I'll be going into his office."

"Then let me go with you."

"I think you've pissed off enough government people to last a life time."

"Figured you'd say that."

"You are not going anywhere near him tonight."

"It's not on my list of to-do's tonight." Disappointedly, my eyes wondered behind Danny and centered in on Vlad, who was wearing an up to no good smile on his lips. He waved at me, making sure no one else saw his act.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked. My attention towards Vlad broke and I looked back at Danny. At that moment, the song faded off and ended.

"Nothing," I shook my head, "let's go." I forced, leading him out of the crowd and back to where the tables were. I broke the hold on Danny's hand.

"What was that for?" He asked, displeased.

"Nothing, I-I probably should get back to Alek." I lied. Danny became irritated.

"Of course," he sarcastically laughed, "Alek. Fine. Well, since you're going back with him and since we know where Vlad is, I'll be in his office." He shook his head like he was disgusted and he walked away. No words could form out of my mouth. Unbelievable. As depressed as I was, I spotted someone who looked ten times more miserable than I was. Jenna.

"Having fun?" I asked her as she walked up to me.

"No, but this took about four and a half hours so I'll be at least staying half of that." She sighed, swishing the liquid in her champagne glass.

"Agreed." I matched her tone of voice.

"Is it just me or is this some twisted fairy tale fetish? Vlad's acting like he's king of Savannah."

"And I thought I was the only one thinking he was acting weird."

"By the way, I saw you dancing with Alek," Jenna paused for emphasis, "then Danny." She raised her half drawn in eyebrows.

"About that…" I bit my natural colored lipstick covered lips.

"So this isn't just a date with him, it's a date with both of them."

"No. Danny asked to dance, Alek allowed him."

"So where are the both of them now?"

"Danny just had a temper tantrum and walked out on me, and Alek, well…"

"Hey." Right on queue, Alek stepped up to the table.

"Well, I'm gonna go drink until someone is hot enough to make out with." Jenna gulped down the last few sips of her Pinot Grigio.

"How'd you manage to get that?" Jenna didn't look close to twenty one.

"Flirt with the bartender, he's easy." She winked and began to walk away, "I'll score you some if you want." And with that, she disappeared into the crowd.

"Please." I quietly sighed. Alek looked at me with furrowed brows, concerned why I was so uptight.

"What's going on?"

"I just need some air. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Did Danny do something to you?"

"No, no it's fine, it's nothing." I lied, "I'll be back in five minutes, I promise." I nodded, he looked down to the floor and agreed, but I didn't stay long enough to see that.

Outside in the lobby of Vlad's mansion, my mind was having an inner monologue with itself. Tonight of all nights, why was Danny toying with me? He said sorry while we were dancing and once I broke it, he went back to being the same old jerk he was the whole week back. His apology was for nothing. It was pointless. I wouldn't forgive him for this—it hurt me. Thankfully I was one of the only people out here in the lobby since everyone was with their dates in the ballroom. And I just left mine to think about what someone else just did to me. I was being selfish towards Alek; I never should have danced with Danny in the first place. Reading the fancy clock above the now shut front doors, I saw it was almost nine already. The night was flying.

"Excuse me?" The soft voice of a woman said behind me. The same red headed woman that accompanied Vlad on the stairs stood in front of me. Her icy blue eyes looked down at me anxiously; as if she was nervous for what she was about to say. A diamond encrusted 'M' necklace glimmered around her neck and her wrists were covered in two diamond cuffs. Whatever Vlad was doing, he was doing it right. Her jewelry alone had to be over a hundred thousand dollars, and by looking at her long, flowing one shoulder black dress and her Christian Louboutin heels, Vlad thought this one was a keeper. It was a surprise that there was no four karate ring on her finger.

"Yes?"

"Alexa Pennington?"

"Yes." I replied feeling unsettled.

"I'm Maddie Fenton, pleasure to meet you." She bowed her head. Fenton, where did I hear that name before?

"Nice to meet you, but, I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"No, and I don't know you, but I have a message for you from Mr. Masters. He would like to see you immediately."

"Oh, I'd love to, but I probably should be going back to my date."

"He insists on seeing you. You'll need to be alone." It looks like she wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Fine." I agreed, intending on doing this in public. "Where is he?"

"He should be up in his office by now, which was right upstairs and to the right." Vlad was in his office…where Danny was.

"Alright. Thank you." My voice sounded steady, but my mind wasn't. My heart was rapidly beating and I could feel my legs shaking. Once I began to walk away towards the stairs, I was stopped again.

"And Alexa." Maddie spoke up. I turned around to see what else she wanted.

"Mr. Masters, he's been acting strange to say the least. I'm not sure exactly why he's calling you of all people here to his office, but I'd like to know what is going on. Can I depend on you to tell me what is going on with him? I know I just met you, but I want to get to the bottom of this. I don't trust him at all."

"Neither do I." I told Maddie and turned away, not trusting her either. There was something going on here, and I had to figure out what exactly it was.

_Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. – Chinese Proverb_

_website is called prom girl: so put that in before the dot com_

.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD738985 Alexa's dress

.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD743480 Jenna's Dress


	32. Monstrous Mendacity

**A/ N: Hi! Part 2 of the chapter. Hope you enjoy :] Anyways, only reason this wasn't updated sooner was because I re-wrote chapter 1 of this story, and posted it! Feel free to read it, feel free to not. LOL. But enjoy and review this chapter at least! **

_Chapter Thirty-Two:_

_Monstrous Mendacity_

_Chapter Song: Streets Of Philadelphia by The Fray_

Was I really about to do this? Looking up the stairs, I had a tinge of regret for what I was about to do. Turning my head both ways to make sure no one was watching me, I saw an all clear. Maddie had slipped away while she had the change, making her way back into the ballroom. I knew I would see more of her before the night ended. As for Alek, he was nowhere to be seen, so I took that chance and ran with it. Picking up my dress and holding onto the railing in fear of falling out of my exceptionally high heels, I made my way up to Vlad's office.

My hands shook as I knocked on the large oak door engraved with the letters 'VM'. For a split second, my knuckles hurt from thumping on the uneven wood. Though I could hear Vlad shuffling around his office, I couldn't happen to wonder what if it was Danny? My body couldn't sense my ghostly friend, so there was no way of knowing if he was in there or not.

"Come in." Vlad's obnoxious voice called loudly. With much regret, I turned the brass doorknob and entered the large room. Vlad's expression changed once I stepped foot into his office, he seemed pleased, as if he had won something. For an instant, I felt a crush of memories overwhelm me the moment I laid eyes on his face: the fire and the things he said about Danny. Then I thought about Danny, how pissed off he would be if I was here.

"You're alone, what a change." He observed, looking at me head to toe.

"Well, I thought I'd take a break from my date since your messenger told me this was urgent and apparently mandatory."

"Ooh, a date? I've got to hear about this." He mocked. His ice-cold glare and sinister smile made me panic, but I refused to show it. I rolled my eyes at his comment.

"I'm leaving." I stated with an annoyed tone. I turned around and headed for the door.

"Wait!" He urged, I turned to face him, "let me start over." Was that an apology?

"I'm listening."

"I still see you have an attitude with me."

"Is there a point to me being here?" I wondered, staring at the pile of photos sitting on Vlad's mahogany desk. In one of the frames sat a picture of Vlad and the same red headed woman, Maddie, I met downstairs. Another was a picture of him in college with what looked to be a young version of Maddy. It was quite obvious the picture had been ripped on the left side. Question was, who was ripped out?

"I'm glad you came." He held his hands together.

"Well it was either that or watching reruns of Real Housewives."

"Hopefully you're evenings going good then."

"More or less. Now, why exactly did you call me up here, because it obviously wasn't to have a casual friend-to-friend talk." I didn't know what to do. Whatever he called me up here for was about to be laid right down on me. I couldn't tell to act strong or nervous. A smile would be inappropriate. Fear might not.

"You're right. There are a few things I would like to talk about. But first, have you spoken to your ghost friend lately?"

"No, we don't talk anymore."

"Why is that? Trouble in paradise?"

"He's a monster. He hurt me, and he'll never change. Last time I checked he was still a ghost, he causes way to many problems." I lied perfectly. It was believable.

"Oh, I'd love to see the tension between you two. Dear child, it's for the, good riddance." He seemed satisfied. Good, as long as he believed me.

"Whatever you want to know, can we get on with it?"

"I want to talk about your family history." Wait; did he just say he wanted to talk about my family history? That was an unexpected turn…

"What?"

"I know you might have been expecting me to say something else and may be slightly confused about this—"

"Slightly? More like extremely."

"I heard about your connection to a girl named Annabella was it?" Vlad noticed the troubled look on my face, "word gets around." He nodded, like he was reading my mind from the questions I was asking.

"So what is this about?"

"Did you ever research into this? Anything?"

"I found it strange enough that I looked somewhat similar to her, I didn't need to find out why."

"Somewhat? Child, I've seen this girl in a picture before, you don't look 'somewhat' like her, you outright are her. Haven't you wondered any bit why you're connected to her?" Vlad continued to pry. I laughed like I didn't know what was going on.

"I'm not connected to her, whoever she is, I just look like her. I'm sure someone looked like you back then. It's not a big deal. This was what, five hundred years ago, Vlad? What do you expect to find on this, the girl herself?"

"I'm not looking for anything to find on this, I'm simply asking questions. I'm surprised you're not worried over this."

"You're crazy for thinking anything of it"

"Duly noted. I'll keep that in mind. This was a very interesting chat Miss Pennington."

"My dates probably wondering where I am, I'm going to get going."

"Goodbye, Alexa." I nodded my head as a goodbye, and I left. It was as if the world had been lifted off my shoulders the moment I was back in the long hallway away from Vlad. I pressed my back against the door, closing my eyes and letting out a breath of relief. At least I survived that. It was all over, now I could go continue my date with Alek. As I walked down the hallway, I could hear talking. It was more yelling than anything, but I couldn't make out what whoever it was, was saying. It was two different voices, it was two people talking—two people fighting. The further I got down the hallway, the more I recognized one of the voices. They were coming from all the way at the other end of the seemingly endless hallway.

"This isn't my fault! None of this is!"

"Until you get over your issue with me, you're gonna keep on hurting her." The other voice wasn't exactly calm, but he wasn't yelling like the first voice was.

"I'm not the one doing this." The first voice spat.

"Danny?" I quietly called, recognizing the voice. The following noises I heard were consisted of multiple punching sounds, slaps, and grunts. _Bam_! Something expensive crashed to the floor, shattering in a thousand pieces. Connecting the pieces, my mind finally realized who the other voice was. Alek. From the sounds of it, they were fighting.

"Danny!" I yelled, my pace picking up as fast as I could towards the end of the hallway. Heels were not the ideal shoes to run in. A loud crash and thump erupted from the room. There was no possible way the night could have got any worse.

"Danny stop!" I shouted, swinging myself into the room. I stood corrected, the night got worse. Much worse. In the middle of the room, lying on top of the fancy Oriental rug was Alek, completely passed out. My eyes didn't leave him, how could Danny do this? Slid down against the back wall, sat Danny. A line of blood dripped under the left corner of his mouth. His eyes were shut, but he was awake, he quietly groaned. His eyes suddenly opened and he had a sickly smile on his face. My heart seized in panic as the reality of the situation slammed into my chest.

"Bummer. I love a good fight." He gave a wary, drunken smile. My mind nor my mouth couldn't form words. My angered and sorrow filled brown eyes shifted from Danny to Alek and back again.

"Are you crazy?" I yelled.

"Maybe a little." He shrugged, showing me the amount on his fingers. What was wrong with him? Was he drunk or just plain crazy?

"What were you thinking?" I was almost chocked up on my words, not being able to deal with the rest of the night. As Danny opened his mouth to talk, I stopped him, "you know what, don't even answer that." I shook my head. He stood up, wiping blood off his hand.

"You're siding with him on this? You've got to be kidding me! He's the one who started it!"

"Somehow I don't believe that. Look at you! You're acting like—"

"A monster?" He spat, his eyes not bothering to come across Alek's lifeless body once. Danny was in the room while I was talking to Vlad.

"You know everything I just said to him was a lie! What happen to you trusting me? And you thought I was going to blow the secret? Look what you just did! What is wrong with you?"

"He started this! He came in here and started with me."

"How could you do this tonight?"

"He's tearing us apart! You're the only one who doesn't see that!" He fought back. I was silent after his comment. My lips parted, but nothing came out. There wasn't anything to say. Though I was angry with Danny, now I knew why he was angry the whole week. It wasn't the fear of exposing himself; it was the fact that he was losing Elliot and me to someone else. Danny wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his suit, smearing away the blood as if nothing happened.

"He's not going to remember any of this. Just come up with _another_ lie so he doesn't get suspicious." Danny walked passed me, purposely bumping into my shoulder. I didn't bother turning around to stop him. But before he walked fully out of the room, he stopped.

"Pardon me to cause yet another problem." He said with his voice filled with hate. A tear rolled down my cheek as I heard his footsteps fade off.

The window in front of me was pitch black, letting me look at my reflection. I stared at the silver necklace dangling around my neck, running my fingers over the locket. With much thought, I intended to return it to Danny after our fight. Things were never meant to turn out like this. I could envision myself walking up to Danny and throwing the necklace at him, then simply walking away. But every time the thought came across my mind, I realized I could never do that to him—even if he knocked my date out cold. The comments that came across my mind would have to go into my Things I Should've Said file, a list I mentally compiled in the back of my mind. It was filled with comebacks and remarks I longed to say towards my parents, Jeremy, an aggravating Elliot, and a whole host of others—including Danny at the moment. But I kept my cool and held my tongue, as usual. Taking me out of my daydream, behind me, Alek was slowly waking up. Turning my body around, I found his eyes fluttering open.

"Hey." I scurried over to him, kneeling down on the floor. His eyes closed again, but he took his hand and placed pressure on his head. Alek moaned, opening his eyes again.

"Alexa?" He groaned, "what happened?"

"I don't know, I was hoping you could tell me. It looks like you had a little to much to drink though." I quietly giggled, motioning over to the champagne glass on the desk. From my guess, it was Danny's, but Alek didn't have to know that.

"Wow, I guess I did." He observed the empty glass. I stood up, and so did Alek.

"Here, let me take you home."

"No, I'm fine." He disagreed, pushing back his hair.

"You were just passed out, don't you want to go?"

"It's only what, ten? We still have a few hours left."

"But—"

"I'm sure. Come on, we're missing the party." He took my hand and we made our way downstairs. When Alek and I reached the ballroom, almost immediately I met eyes with Danny, who was playing with a black coffee stirrer in another glass of what looked like water, but could have very well have been alcohol. Shifting his eyes from Alek to me and back again, he turned his back to us. It was obvious Danny had been having issues the past week. We talked about some of them, but he was hiding a lot from me. It didn't help that his parents were being hard on him. With them having a few work days off this week, they'd become suspicious, wondering why he'd come home at all hours of the night and disappear out the 'door' when they didn't see him leave. Besides being on edge with his parents on the verge of finding his secret, apparently he was scared he was losing his best friends to the new guy. That had to hurt…if it was true.

"Do you know that woman?" Alek asked, turning his head to the right. His stare was staring at Maddie, who happen to be staring at us. Her gaze fell on me, and she waved me over with her finger.

"Yeah, I'll be right back." Breaking away from him, I cautiously walked over to Maddie. Behind me, Elliot whispered something to Danny, who happened to turn around and look at the mysterious woman the two weren't familiar with.

"And I thought you forgot about me." She raised the champagne glass to her lips, taking a baby sip.

"Not exactly."

"A deals a deal, I'm concerned what's going on with Vlad. What did he want to talk about?"

"He was…" I paused, not knowing how to phrase my words. Maddie looked at me with arched brows. "He was apologizing for all our past difference."

"Past differences?" She wondered. My mind kept repeating her last name over and over: Fenton. Where have I heard that name before? Was she a neighbor?

"We've shared a few disagreements a few months ago. Nothing to worry about."

"And that's all?"

"That's it." I assured her, she believed me.

"Alright then, I won't keep you from your date any longer." She took another sip of her drink. With the nod of my head, I proceeded to turn around and walk away, but quickly stopped myself.

"Just curious, have you always lived in Savannah?"

"If you must know, I did up to a few years ago."

"What made you move?"

"There was a fire at my home, I stayed with close relatives in Virginia. Why do you ask?" Like the flip of a light switch, it had clicked. I wasn't sure why it hadn't popped up in my mind before. It was the name of the two men that had a particularly large impact on Danny's life: Jack and Thomas-James Fenton—both deceased, well, we weren't to sure about the second man. Jack Fenton was the man who created the ghostly machine Danny was changed in. This was his wife—who was now dating Vlad? Vlad hated ghosts, and Maddie's dead husband created a machine to create them. This was to weird, could this somehow be connected? This town was becoming more supernatural by the day.

"As I said, just curious." I simply answered, finally walking off to finish off my night with Alek on a good note.

….

My body shivered in the unusually frigid late-evening air, causing goose bumps to appear on my bare shoulders. The headlights of Alek's BMW lit up the black as night street, partially helping me find my way up the driveway. I turned around, waving my fingers as a gesture of goodbye. I couldn't see him through the blacked out windows, but I had a feeling he waved back too. He watched me go up the driveway and into the house, making sure everything was okay. The house had an eerie silence casted over it. My heels clicked on the faux marble floors, echoing through out the downstairs. It sent shivers down my spine. Though I'd never admit it, I was frightened being in an empty house by myself. Ever since I'd learned of ghosts, I'd rarely be home when no one else was. It was every perfect horror movies plot line turned into reality. Tonight, Shylee and my father were somewhere in Atlanta attempting to enjoy themselves at a historian convention. Jeremy was sleeping over a friend's house, so I had the house to myself. I wouldn't get scared tonight. My eyes readjusted to the light after I flicked the light switch on. It didn't seem so creep now, did it? It did, but I wouldn't let it run me. After changing out of my tight and heavy dress into a black cami and sleep shorts, I finally felt comfortable. I draped my dress over my window seat and before hopingly climbing into bed, praying to forget about everything bad that happened tonight, I heard my phone buzz. Walking over to the dresser, I found it lit up with a text message displayed on the screen. What shocked me the most, it was from Danny.

_I'm sorry I acted the way I did tonight. I'm so sorry._

I wasn't sure how long I stared at the screen. It could have been seconds; it possibly could have been minutes. He said sorry, and somehow I had forgiven him that easily. But, I didn't plan on telling him tonight. Shaking my head at the screen, I placed the phone back on the counter and walked away from it, not wanting to hear anymore from him. Getting into bed, I left the lamp on and let myself stare at the ceiling, thinking over every single event that happened tonight.

There was a state when you're asleep when you're dead to the world, but at the same time you're awake. Your mind was in a different place, but you were aware of your surroundings. That was my favorite type of sleep, besides the deep slumber you fall into when you're completely and utterly exhausted. My eyes were shut tight, but my mind was subliminally thinking about how uncomfortable I was. I rolled over, and hugged my mushy pillow—which felt unusually stiff tonight.

"I'm sorry." The pillow voiced calm and quietly. In my mind, I smiled at the thought of its voice. Until I realized something…pillow's don't talk. Slowly my eyes lifted, to find my room bright with light radiating from my lamp behind me. Once my vision wasn't blurry anymore, my eyes looked to my hand, which was placed on a body that wasn't mine. The body was above the blanket, while mine was cuddled up against it underneath the covers. My eyes traced upwards, going from the torso of the body, to the neck, then to the face, which was looking down on me. The face belonged to Danny. Quickly reacting without one thought in my head, I screamed and jumped to the edge of my bed.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed. I'm sure Danny could hear my heartbeat—anyone down the street could hear it.

"Sorry, didn't want to wake you." He apologized. I leaned against my headboard and pillows, wrapping my hand around my forehead.

"Oh my God." I breathed out, proceeding to look at the clock on my nightstand.

"Three AM? Seriously? You had nothing better to do at three AM?" I turned my head to him, my hands still shaking.

"If you don't mind, I'm trying to avoid my parents tonight."

"And you chose here?"

"Well, I couldn't do this to Elliot. That'd be weird." He raised his brows, acting as this was normal. The smug expression on his face dropped when he realized I wasn't thrilled.

"I'm supposed to be mad at you, why are you even here?"

"I didn't have anywhere else to go." He sat up, raking his fingers through his hair. The room fell silent. Was I about to kick out my best friend, who hurt me on one of the best nights of my life, out because I was being selfish? Or was he just trying to make me look bad? With a noticeable sigh, I tilted my head towards him.

"They're asking questions again?" He nodded his head, pursing his lips nervously. His eyes shifted down. Focusing behind him, my dress lied on the cushions of the window seat. It flooded memories of the nigh, but somehow they didn't phase my caving.

"Fine. You can stay." I gave in without a tone in my voice.

"Thanks," a smile brightened his face, "I'll get the window seat." He started to get up, but I reluctantly stopped him.

"It's fine, just stay here. God only knows how long you've been here, a few more hours won't hurt." He seemed surprised by my attitude change. Feeling a blanket of sleep beginning to come over me again, I turned on my side, facing Danny, and rested my head on the pillow, pulling the blanket up to my chest.

"Thanks." He gave me a thankful smile. He then proceeded to change his position; getting under the covers, bending his arms and putting his hands under his head.

"Can we talk about one more thing?" He turned his head to face me.

"If it's about what happened tonight, then no. I'm tired." I quietly answered. After a moment of thinking, I reached up behind me and turned off the lamp. The rooms turned dark, I couldn't see Danny's face until my eyes readjusted to lack of light.

"Well," Danny shifted positions again so now he was on his side facing me, "if it counts, I feel bad I ruined your night, and I'll make you breakfast to make up for it." He smiled. I wasn't sure if he was joking or not, but I still quietly and almost emotional-lessly laughed.

"I'm not mad at you. Not anymore. But if I was, that isn't the way to make up for it." What was I saying? My heart was talking instead of my brain. No person in their right mind would let someone punch their date and get away with it. But he was my best friend, and I didn't want to lose him like he thought I was. Or maybe I was just insane.

"Really? Then tell me what would be the perfect apology."

"I'll tell you the rest tomorrow." I whispered, squishing my face into the pillow.

"Night." He whispered back.

"Night." I repeated, a smile tugging at my lips.

**Elsewhere: **

"And that's all she said?" Mayor Vlad Masters raised his thick brows at girlfriend and long time college crush Madeline Fenton.

"Clearly she didn't trust me." The red headed woman sipped on her second—no—third glass of wine tonight. She'd lost track of which glass it was after she spoke to a certain teenager named Alexa Pennington. Maddie looked down, her hands toying with the fabric of her gown.

"She doesn't trust me, therefore she wouldn't trust you."

"What about you? What's your say for everything that happened?"

"Oh, there's no doubt. She's the exact copy of the hybrid ghost. But from what I've heard, she's nothing like her personality wise. She's pure, and that what makes her more vulnerable." Vlad watched Maddie tap her manicured fingers on the wooden table they sat across from each other in.

"And what are you planning on doing about this? You already tried killing the ghosts in this town once and for all. She—somehow—saved one."

"Nothing right now, Maddie. Nothing for a long time, not until we have more information." A smile crept upon the mayors lips, knowing—even thought it wouldn't be for many more months, that he'd finally understand the truth to who this girl actually was.


	33. Two Faced

**A/N: Oh god, so you guys are SO gonna kill me. This chapter was originally 8,300 words, so I had to split it into two parts. So both will be uploaded. Now this one on the other hand, is around 5,064 words. Please bare with me and read it, these chapters are really important. And I spent a lot of time on them because I really felt like it needed to be perfect. And somehow, I still feel like they aren't! Blah :P Well, review please! **

_Chapter Thirty-Three_

_Two-Faced_

_Chapter Song: Drunk by Ed Sheeran_

Throwing his house keys onto the small table in the alcove by the door, Jeremy came home to find the house silent, which was surprising for it being ten thirty in the morning. He figured someone had to be up by now, it was impossible for Shylee not to be up this early, where was she? The thought of his parents being currently in Atlanta came across his mind, and he suddenly remembered I should be home. But still, _she's always up early, why was she suddenly so quiet,_ he wondered.

"Alexa, I'm home!" He called, swinging his Nike duffle over his shoulder. Upstairs and to the right, I was dead to the world, fast asleep with the side of my head buried into the pillow. Jeremy stopped moving; listening for a reply, but never heard any.

"Lex', come on. I was thinking we could go get a bite to eat, I'm starving." Jeremy's voice floated upstairs. He continued as he walked up the stairs. He found it strange for me not to answer. Slowly, I began to come out of my deep sleep—his voice intertwining with my dream which was fading out to white.

"Alright," he threw the duffle in front of his room, "I know it's kind of early and all but hey, coffee never hurt." His hand reached for my doorknob. At that moment, my mind connected with reality, forcing my body to wake up, but my eyes stayed closed.

"What do you say—oh God." Jeremy walked in, quickly shut his eyes and turned around. My eyes gradually opened up, my mind still in a disoriented sleep fog.

"Jer?" I lifted my head up. In my blurred vision, I saw his shadows. Usually it wouldn't be a problem for a normal day, but as my mind recollected that Danny was sleeping next to me, I realized Jeremy got the wrong idea.

"Jeremy, no! It's not what it looks like." He already started walking off. I was to tired to get up and chase after him.

"No need to explain!" He held back a laugh.

"No, come, ugh, no—" I groaned, letting myself fall back and hit the pillow again. I turned my head towards Danny, who was still fast asleep. I silently chocked on a laugh, and shook my head. _Really Danny, not the time to be here_, I muttered silently to myself. I turned onto my side away from Danny and tried to ignore what just happened, and fall back into a light sleep. But it seemed impossible. Being impatient, less than thirty seconds later I took a breath and was ready to face the day…and Jeremy. Kicking off the covers, I walked over to my dresser and grabbed a white tank top, navy blue cardigan, and black leggings and headed off to the bathroom to change. What was I going to tell Jeremy? Because knowing him, he wouldn't believe a word I said.

Throwing back the curtains of my room, Danny groaned loudly behind me.

"_Ughhhh_," he dragged on, "Early. Bright. No." He tried blocking out the sun with his hands.

"Come on, get up." I walked towards him, pulling the blanket off.

"To early." He whined, covering his eyes with his arm.

"No, not early. Jeremy just saw us and got the wrong idea. Come on, get up."

"You've got to be kidding me." he muttered, and drowsily sat himself up.

"No, I'm not. Let's go. I'll be downstairs. Go do…whatever." I proceeded to walk out and head downstairs, running a frustrated hand through my hair.

"So, he spent the night?" asked Jeremy, who was sitting down at the kitchen table with cereal. His spoon clacked against the blue ceramic bowl.

"What are you doing home so early?"

"Don't answer my question with another question." He quietly chuckled, looking down to his cereal.

"You know, it's not what it looks like." I defended.

"Hey, you don't have to explain to me. And if you're worried about me telling to mom and dad, don't be. I've been there. Besides, I figured that would happen sooner or later" He explained with a shrug, getting up to put his bowl in the sink. My shocking gaze at him made him laugh.

"He stayed the night because his parents have been suspicious of him lately. It was my bed or yours."

"Right." He sarcastically answered. This was useless, he'd never understand.

"Well, this has been sufficiently awkward." I mumbled, leaning myself against the kitchen counter.

"Agreed. See ya' later."

"What? Where are you going?" He grabbed the keys to my parent's car off the counter.

"I still want that coffee!" He said before walking out the back door. Coffee? What coffee? In no time, I could hear the car drive off into the distance. Walking to the fridge like a zombie, I opened it to look for somewhat of a breakfast. Searching through the shelves, I found myself food-less. Big surprise. Probably should remind Shylee to go food shopping the moment she got back today. Grabbing a box of waffle, I took out the one Eggo that was left and shot it in the toaster. Though I didn't feel like eating, the growling in my stomach disagreed.

I had pushed the waffle around on my plate for a while before I gave up on eating and put my dish in the plate. Walking back up the stairs, I opened the door to my room to find it empty. Danny wasn't anywhere upstairs, so my best guess was that he went home…or somewhere. I stopped in front of my dresser and looked into the mirror. My face was drained of color, my body felt tired. There was just too much embarrassment for one morning. I ran my hands over my face and they raked my hair back. My eyes shifting down, I looked at the phone sitting on the counter. Alek hadn't contacted me since he dropped me off last night. Was it safe to leave someone who had recovered so quickly from a concussion alone? Probably, but I wasn't going to continue to fret. There was no doubt that I was still angry at Danny for what he did, but I wasn't going to let it ruin our relationship. But I knew I wouldn't ever forgive him for it. While I was looking down at my phone, I watched Danny, in his ghost form, intangibly fly through my wall and let two white rings go over his body—letting him gracefully fall down to the floor as a human.

"I've got a front door you know." My gaze finally lifted from looking at the screen and turned towards the mirror, looking at Danny, who was in a different pair of clothes than he was earlier.

"Yeah, but this is more fun." He flashed a smile.

"Where'd you go?" I wondered, looking closer into the mirror. Tucked into Danny's hands was the Fenton Journal.

"Home. My parents weren't there so, figured it was a good time to stop by." He shrugged.

"How did you find that?" I turned around, eyes glaring at the item in Danny's hands.

"I've seen where you hide it." He plopped down onto my bed, and yanked out the rectangular piece of old paper that was tucked away in one of the pages of the journal. It was the portrait of Anna.

"Now, what does Vlad know about her?" He held the picture up to himself like it was a mirror.

"I don't know, but particularly, I'd rather not look at her—it-me right now." I climbed onto the bed and grabbed the picture from Danny's hands, letting my eyes stay glued on it. My identical face appeared on the paper. I had the same thick, wavy dark brown hair, when my hair wasn't straightened of course. The same brown eyes that contained flecks of gold. The same oval face with the same arched eyebrows. The same thin lips that curled up into the slightest smile, like they were hiding something. With the roll of my eyes, I placed the picture down on my bed and looked away from it.

"So," Danny dragged on, about to bring up something unwanted, "about last night…"

"I'm really not in the mood to talk about this." I sighed, blankly looking away from him.

"That's what you said last night." His brows rose.

"No," I paused, biting on my lip, "not right now."

"I said I was sorry, and I really am. I swear."

'I know, but, uh, no. Come on Danny, I really don't want to talk about this right now."

"So you're still angry at me?"

"If I punched your date and made them pass out, would you be angry at me?" He thought about it for a moment.

"Nope," he shook his head, "in fact, Elliot was pretty annoying last night." A smile brightened his face up. I looked down to my bedspread and quietly chocked a laugh and a fake half smile.

"You knocked out my date, you can't get off the hook that easily." I got up from my bed, taking the journal with me.

"So you are still mad at me."

"There's a difference between being mad and being disappointed." I turned around, feeling guilty. Why was it always when someone fought with me, they made me feel like I was the wrong one in the situation?

"There are certain reasons I did that! I told you, you can't—"

"Trust him. I know, and I can't agree with you on it. But that's not a reason to start a fight with someone."

"But—"

"Give me one good reason you punched him last night." I demanded. Danny sat with his mouth open, at a loss for words. Exactly, there wasn't a good reason. As I impatiently waited for an answer, Danny's phone rang. He fumbled to answer it.

"What, Elliot?" He barked.

"I'm bored. Come over." I could hear Elliot's voice over the phone.

"What? Why?" Danny replied, not really wanting to listen to his friend.

"My parents aren't here and I'm bored, bring over video games."

"Uh," He looked to me. I shrugged my shoulders; I could go for getting out of the house, why not. "Sure, we'll be over soon." Danny took the phone away from his ear.

"We'll? Are you wit—" Danny hung up. Turning towards my dresser, I opened the bottom drawer and slid the journal under piles of shirts.

"Let's go." Danny got up and walked out of my room and to the downstairs. He left me standing there, speechless. He was pissed.

"So…about your conversation with Vlad last night. Care to elaborate more on it?"

"There's not much more to explain. You were there for most of it, except…actually, there is something you should know." I kept my eyes glued on the road as I was doing 60 down an empty road that lead to Elliot's house.

"What?" Danny's eyes glanced over to me.

"Do you know anything about the woman Vlad's dating?"

"Other than she's crazy for being within a ten foot radius of him, then no."

"Her name's Madeline _Fenton_."

"Fenton? As in…"

"Thomas-James Fenton and Jack Fenton."

"So this means—Vlad means a little bit more than we thought."

"Not necessarily. But I did ask her if she always lived here. She told me there was a fire at her home so she stayed with relatives in Virginia for a while."

"She didn't say anything about her husband?"

"Nothing. But, it's not exactly something you bring up with a total stranger." I shifted

"Yeah, but now that we know he could—stop!" Danny yelled after he turned away from looking at me and looked out straight ahead. Whipping my head back to look ahead of the car, a shadowy figure floated and flashed itself right in the path of my car. I slammed my foot onto the breaks, watching the shadow disappear. The tires screeched against the wet pavement, squealing at a high-pitched noise. The car jolted backwards so fast our bodies slammed into the black leather seats. My stomach flattened against my spine as my hands had a tight grip against the wheel. Neither Danny nor I said a word. You could just hear our shaky breaths and the quiet noise radiating for the air conditioner.

"What was that?" I piped up, hands still grasping the wheel. It hurt to uncurl them so they were back to normal.

"I don't know a squirrel or something?"

"I think I would know the difference between a squirrel and whatever that was!" I exclaimed, putting the car into park and getting out of the car. Danny followed. What was that? A person? A deer? We were surrounded by woods, it was more than possible I had just hit some defenseless animal. As I hurried to the front of the car, my nerves sank as I found nothing. My mind flashbacked to when I first went out in search of a store my second day in Savannah, almost the same thing had happened. This had to be ghost related. And sure enough, Danny's ghost sense went off. The blue mist left his mouth and dispersed into the thick air. Our eyes scanned the area, but all there happened to be was an overcast sky, damp pavement, and the evergreen pine trees surrounding both sides of the street. Nobody—no ghost—was around, but according to Danny's ghost side, there was. All of the sudden, the car door I had left open had been slammed shut.

"Go to Elliot's." He demanded, turning into his ghost form.

"Call me." I instructed, getting into my car.

"School. Why do they always go to the school? What do ghosts have against education?" Elliot asked staring at the large building of Grove High. The parking lot was empty, and we looked suspicious being the only car and people here.

"I don't know, maybe because they know Danny spends half of his day here?"

"Good point. Good ole, school."

"Right." I sighed, opening the doors to the silent and deserted school.

"So," Elliot began, which meant something awkward was about to be brought up, "why was Danny over so early this morning? His parents left me a message for them to call him since he was sleeping over my house."

"He slept over last night because his parents were—"

"He slept over? Oh God, forget I asked." He bit his lip.

"That's not what I mean. He—" I stopped myself.

"He what?"

"Why is it so quiet?"

"Oh I get what you're doing!" He laughed, "no, not changing the subject here!"

"That's not what I'm doing. Look at the situation were in here, doesn't it seem a bit strange to you that it's silent. We usually hear I don't know, screaming, or crashes, or both." I walked to the intersection of poorly lit hallways.

"You've got a good point." Elliot commented. Looking down the left hallway, I found no sign of struggle. It looked what a school should look like on a Sunday afternoon.

"Where do you—" I turned back to Elliot, who wasn't there anymore. I was alone in the empty hallway.

"Elliot?" My voice echoed off the walls, "oh come on, Elliot!" I yelled, but I was only talking to myself. Down a ways in the right hallway, I could hear noises radiating from the end of it. I started off in a walk, turned into a job, and then it turned into a full-blown run. As I turned around the corner where the noises were coming from, an empty hallway greeted me again. This was like a cruel game of hide and seek. The second I was about to turn around I watched Elliot appear out of thin air. As expected, a confused look puzzled his face.

"How'd I get here?" He asked, looking side to side. I opened my mouth to speak—but couldn't. How was it possible he didn't know how he got to where he was standing?

"What's going on?" Danny's voice appeared behind us. For a split second, I took the time to look at him, and then back to Elliot.

"Wait, if you're here and we're here, then where is…" Elliot began looking around. I heard that the temperature drops and people get cold whenever ghosts roam about near by. Apparently, that fact rang true. Goosebumps dotted my arms and neck, causing me to shiver unnoticeably. In that same moment, the florescent light on the ceiling blew, sparks dancing to the floor. Before any of us could react, Elliot was thrown against the back wall. He yelled out in pain as he slipped down to the floor. "

Elliot!" Both Danny and I cried out. As we both began running to his aid, the vending machine adjacent to the teacher's lounge flashed alive, sparks and glass glimmered and sparkled as they plummeted to the floor. I stopped in my track and shielded my face, making sure the glass didn't hit my body. A loud crash erupted behind me; Danny was pushed into the air and forcefully thrown to the cold linoleum floor. I wheeled myself around, hearing Danny's body come in contact with the floor. Something else blew near Elliot this time, and my attention was brought back to that. There was so much smoke and sparks in the room, seeing Elliot's body was almost impossible. A cold wind, the invisible ghost masterminding this attack, wrapped itself around my hand. It felt like someone's hand was intertwined with my own. I braced myself for an impact with the floors or lockers. The cool fingertips of the ghost stroked the side of my neck, slipping down to my shoulders. My body stayed significantly still, to afraid to more. Much to my surprise, nothing happened. My feet stayed glued to my spot on the floor and I wasn't even airborne. The force pulled away from my body and the coldness disappeared. Following the invisible ghosts path, a trail of lights blew out. As the last few spark gracefully plunged to the ground, the hallway turned dark and eerily quiet.

"Damn it!" Danny broke the silence, "it's gone." He informed, standing up and changing back to his human form.

"What was that?"

"For once, I've got no clue." His silhouette rubbed the back of his neck. At the other end of the hallway, a groan escaped from Elliot, who laid helplessly on the floor.

"Elliot?" Danny called out, but our friend failed to respond. Once we ran over and crouched down to his level, we found Elliot with a bump on his head, his eyes closed.

"Elliot, hey, come on, wake up." I waved a hand in front of his face. Danny went for his wrist to feel his pulse, which was calm. He tried saying something, but it came out in inaudible mumbled gibberish. His head limply fell down to his shoulder.

"Okay, let's get him home." Danny stood up, still watching his surroundings. Elliot tried uselessly mumbling something. Did he not get nobody could understand him? Maybe it made sense in his mind. I tried pulling Elliot up, but he just slumped forward. Either oblivious or not caring, Danny walked away—leaving me to deal with our passed out friend. I threw my hands up in wonder. _Good thinking Danny, I'm not as strong as you are, let me carry him._ After crouching down, letting Elliot sling a limp hand over my shoulder, we got up and began walking…slowly.

"Where are we going?" Were Elliot's first words to come out somewhat audible.

"My car."

"_Whhyyy_." He whined, his mumbling voice beginning to grown on my nerves.

"Because we'd rather not stay in school when we don't have to." I dragged him along, his sneakers screeching on the waxed floor. For some unknown reason, Danny stayed a couple steps ahead of us—whether it was because he was suspicious of what had just happened or didn't want to be with me right now, I couldn't tell. We entered another hallway, only two more to go before the exit to sweet daylight awaited us. My feet stumbled over Elliot's clunky Nike's, causing me to almost lose my balance and drop him—but I didn't. Elliot's flaccid body kept dropping to the floor. The pressure his arm continued to put on my neck and shoulder began to ache.

"Elliot, come on, you're heavy." I struggled to keep him propped up. This wasn't working, but it would have to. It wasn't like Danny was going to help anytime soon.

Elliot sat on his bed with an ice pack glued to his forehead. Behind it hid an ugly bump that already began to bruise. Next to him, sat Danny, who drummed his fingers on the bedspread. I sat on the chair in the corner of the room, occasionally checking my phone to see if I'd receive any text from Alek. Was it bad that I was worried about him? What if he passed out last night, or crashed his car into a tree and now he was lying in a ditch somewhere on the interstate? _Stop overreacting_, my brain told itself. The doorbell, two loud and obnoxious chimes, rang from downstairs and echoed up to the room. Elliot turned his head around, as if he could see out the window from where he sat, but winced in pain. Seeing no one else was checking who it was, Danny got up and looked out the window.

"UPS." He simply said, plopping himself back down on the bed.

"Can one of you get that?"

"I'll get it." I offered, already out of the chair and mostly out of the room.

"Thanks." He called. The second my feet reached the bottom stairs, the UPS man rang the doorbell a second time. Has the man ever heard of patience? I unlocked the front door and opened it, greeted with the man in his brown uniform. A clipboard filled one hand and a medium sized brown package occupied the other.

"Morning, Elliot Graham?"

"More or less." I shrugged with a straight face.

"Please sign here." He shoved the clipboard towards me, a pen dangled to the side of it. After forging Elliot's signature, I was given the package.

"Have a nice day." He walked off, hopping off the porch. As I walked back upstairs, I could hear the loud engine of the truck pull away. The package in my hands was addressed to Elliot, and it was from somewhere in California—my home state.

"Not being a snoop, but it says it's for you. Someone in California really must like you." I tossed the package onto the bed.

"California? That means…" he glared at the package, reading over it's information, "it came!" He squealed like a little girl. Putting the slushy blue ice pack to his side, he ripped the package open without hesitation.

"What came?" I asked, sitting back to my original spot in the chair.

"The new iPhone! I finally got it!' he waved the white box in the air.

"You sound like a fan girl." Danny blankly commented.

"Hello brand new technology." He smirked, running his thump over the raised lettering like it was something to treasure. Danny and I simultaneously rolled our eyes. Elliot had a thing for these brand new, shiny, tetchy toys. Me? Not so much, I was good with my laptop and phone, it was teenage survival 101. Holding tight in my palm, my phone buzzed. The bright screen read something that made me unknowingly smile,

_Hello Beautiful, what are you up to tonight?_

Alek. My eyes scanned over the text five, maybe six more times, letting it fully sink in. It was possible I hadn't ever received a text so adorable before.

"What's got you so happy?" Danny asked. My head snapped up, Danny and Elliot, who had taken a break from his love fest with his new phone, had realized I was smiling to a screen.

"Nothing." I waved off, pretending to not be interested in my phone anymore. Elliot easily accepted the dishonest answer and went back to his continuous concentration towards the phone. Danny glared at the phone for one more moment until he turned away. Quickly, I tapped my thumbs away at the screen, writing Alek back.

_I'm at Elliot's house, but not particularly staying much longer. Why?_

My nails drummed against my leg, nervous for Alek's reply. Elliot tossed his BlackBerry aside and typed away on his new phone, most likely downloading a game already.

"This thing is so cool!" He said, pleased. I tried ignoring every comment he made about the object in his hands.

_I was bored, figured we could go do something. Up for some dinner? _The message read. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! My reaction was a mixture of happiness since he kind of asked me out on a date, and joy to get out of Elliot's house to stop hearing this never ending mantra.

_Sounds perfect to me. How's 6? I can drive over to your house; I feel bad, you're always picking me up. My house is so out of the way._

I had immediately pressed the send button and almost in the same amount of time, I got a reply.

_My house is almost impossible to find. Here's a deal, how about you meet me there? 6 sounds good, see you then!_

My eyes glanced up to the time; it was nearly 4:15. My toes scrunched in my lattice Ugg boots. I needed time to get ready; I couldn't go looking like this.

"Elliot, seriously, put down the phone for two seconds and put some ice on your head. That thing looks even worse."

"But—"

"Dude, I'll take it away from you." He threatened. Elliot loudly sighed, placed the phone by his side, and pushed the ice pack against his head. I got up from my seat and slung my purse of my shoulder. Thankfully, none of the guys had noticed. Right before I walked out of the room I'd say something to seem not so suspicious.

"And where are you going?" Danny asked. Great, caught red handed. Scrunching my face up with pursed lips, I let a deep breath out and turned around with a normal face.

"I'm…I'm going to go see Jenna. Yeah, she called earlier and wanted some company. She's been pretty upset since the breakup. So, I'll see you two later."

"Yeah, obviously she wouldn't stop talking about it last night. But, it worked for me." Elliot shrugged. I stopped walking, taking in the words he just said. Turning around on my heel, I glared at Elliot, who looked satisfied with himself.

"What are you saying?" My brows furrowed.

"Well…" He dragged on, "Jenna had a little to much to drink last night. Just a little! And she ended up venting to me and we…" He didn't know how to word his next sentence.

"You what Elliot?" I hissed, knowing-but not wanting to admit-what he was about to say.

"She hooked up with me." He simply said, then gave me a smile. It dropped when I looked at him in complete seriousness.

"And you let her do that? With her being in the state she's been?"

"Hell yeah." He smiled, nodding his head. Danny looked away. They were Elliot's wrong actions, not his.

"I can't believe you." I ran a hand through my hair halfway, only for it to be thrown up in exasperation. Not wanting to look at either of the guys, I walked out and down the stairs. Jenna was my friend, Elliot was my best friend. This was just to weird to comprehend. Danny should have at least made sure Elliot was under control.

"Hey! Wait! At least it shows she has feelings for me!" He leaned himself over the banister.

"Self sympathy hook up!" I yelled before slamming the door on the way out. _God_, I silently spat, _he pissed me off_. Severely.

My tires squeaked as I pulled up into the brick driveway. After putting the car into park, I cut the radio and eventually the engine. I grabbed my purse slouching over in the passenger seat. The green numbers of the car clock switched from 4:43 to 4:44. There was a fair amount of time left to get ready.

As soon as I stepped through the front door coming home from Danny's, the smell of steak, baked potatoes, and crescent rolls swarmed my nostrils. Shylee stuck her head through the kitchen doorway.

"There you are. Dinner's ready in five." Five minutes? I was hoping to skip the Pennington family bonding time and get straight to eating out with Alek. Even if I wasn't eating with them, I wanted time to myself. Maybe finish getting ready, sit down on my bed, and ponder on how to repair this friendship with Danny, figure out what to do next. I dropped my purse into the foyer and stepped into the kitchen.

"How was Atlanta?" I began, leaning myself against the butter colored walls.

"Great. A little hot for this time of year, but it's always nice to come back to cooler weather." Shylee lifted a wooden spoon topped with mashed potatoes to her lips to take a taste. She smiled in approval.

"Want a bite?" She held out the spoon.

"About that. I'm going out to dinner with a friend tonight, would you mind if I skipped?"

"That's fine. I'll hide some leftovers in the fridge if you want." She said it was fine, but I knew Shylee and what face was which, she looked disappointed—like she had been waiting all day for some quality family time.

"Thanks. I'm meeting him downtown at six, so I'll be up in my room getting ready. Need any help or anything?"

"He? Who's this he?" She picked up a black pot filled with water and placed it in the sink with a loud _clack_.

"His names Alek, I went with him to Vlad's party last night."

"Oh?" She raised her brows, fighting back a smile.

"In my defense, he's just a friend. He just moved here and he's in a few of my classes, it's nothing."

"Okay, well, I don't want to keep you from getting ready. Go 'head." She faintly smiled to me.


	34. So Wrong, But So Right

**A/N: Okay! Part two of this. Please enjoy this chapter, I worked hard :] Review both if you can! **

_Chapter Thirty-Four_

_So Wrong, But So Right_

_Chapter Song: Bloodstream by Stateless / Prodigal by OneRepublic _

"_You don't chose who you fall in love with."_

– _Anonymous_

I decided to slip on my favorite pair of black skinny jeans and a brand new light pink ruffled crepe tank top I'd bought on my previous shopping trip with Jenna. I paired the outfit with a simple pair of black ankle boots. I had lucked out, I didn't do much beside change and fix my makeup. My hair had kept its wave from last night, so I didn't bother touching it, besides one or two sprits of hairspray here and there. Outside, I could hear a couple cars pass each other on the uneven road. Beside me burried in my bed, my phone buzzed; alerting me that it was time to leave.

"I'm leaving now." I called once I stood downstairs in the foyer. I snatched my purse up from the floor and darted for the door.

"Bye." A chorus of farewells came my way. I locked myself out with my spare key and made my way to Aleks car, the heels of my boots clicking on the pavement. The bright sunset made my eyes squint, readjusting to the light behind my car. I hopped into the car and drove off. The entire fifteen-minute car drive to downtown, my mind wandered off, thinking what would happen tonight. That was a lie; I had thought about a lot of things that car ride. What mostly had crossed my mind were the actions of last night. There were reasons I couldn't let myself dare to think of anything, it wouldn't ruin my night. It couldn't. At some point during my drive, I lost track of time—for once, I got lost in the music and something other than the supernatural events surrounding my life. I swore, tonight I'd have fun, forget about worrying. The sun had slowly fell down to the ground and the sky grew dark, letting sunset pass and allowing the full moon to rise. My car made a screeching noise as I wheeled it into a free space in the downtown Savannah area. My foot hit the breaks just before ramming into a dented Camry in front of me. Since every spot was either taken or handicap in the main strip of the town center, I had to park a little farther down—down the street in a more deserted area. Cutting the engine, I got out of my car and walked down the lonesome street. Taking out my phone, I opened the message Alek had sent me while I was driving; it was the name of the restaurant. Me, being suspicious, I turned my head both ways to make sure I wasn't being followed. Maybe it was because I heard those terrible stories on the 11 o'clock news about how girls, just like me, would walk home at night and get robbed, beaten, or kidnapped—was it convenient that one of them was saved by town hero Danny Phantom? Or maybe it was because I felt like I was being watched for the past week, once again, suspicions. A wash of relief flooded over my body when I reached civilization again.

"Alexa! Hey!" Alek's voice bubbled over all the others. Alek got up from his place, leaning against the wall of a fountain. He leaned in for a hug. The smell crisp and exotic smell of Alek's cologne filled my nose—was that Ralph Lauren, or maybe even Abercrombie?

"There you are." I smiled when he reached me.

"Hey." He coolly smiled, flashing his pure white teeth.

"Feeling any better?" I asked, secretly examining his face to see how it looked a day after Danny punched him. To my surprise, it looked fine. Like nothing had happened. I couldn't find a bruise, a cut, or even a scratch.

"From what?"

"From last night?" Did he not remember? How could he not remember?

"Oh, right…" he remembered, "I'm fine, all good." He assured. Somehow, I felt as if I couldn't trust him. He had to be lying, no one healed up that fast. He probably said that so I just shut up about that. We maneuvered ourselves in and out of people on the sidewalk. Somewhere nearby, I could hear silverware clacking together. Obnoxious laughs from a group of men sitting outside entered my hearing. A bright blue neon sign that read' Nicolo's; hung above the doorway of the dark colored building. We stepped into the restaurant, a warm feeling coming over me as the goosebumps from the cold air outside faded away from the toasty temperature inside. Alek walked over to the short maitre de at the mahogany podium and mumbled something to her.

"This way to your table." A tanned, button-nosed hostess grabbed two leather-bound menus and marched through the dining room of the cute Italian bistro. Alek and I followed her, snaking around tables full of men in suits, women in casual dinner dresses, and waiters serving them bottles of fancy wine that cost more than my outfit put together. Alek and I dropped myself into the wooden chairs in a two-seated table against a wall in the back of the room. I couldn't happen but stare at the tattoo on the back of the hostess's neck—the word love written out in fancy script. _Lame_, pointless tattoos were so tacky. The girl plopped down our menus in front of us and glided away, going back to her position in the front. My eyes glanced over to Alek, who was staring down. At the risk of sounding completely head over heels in love, he looked beautiful. The candlelight brought out the color in his eyes, the highlights in his hair, and it warmed his skin tone. He looked photoshopped—it was unreal.

Dinner passed in the blink of an eye. Alek was generous enough to pay, though I had offered to pay for my share. Of course, he declined and simply handed the waiter his shiny American Express.

"We never really had these back home."

"These? You mean—"

"These downtown areas. My home town was quite boring to say the least."

"Really? I was almost sure that all towns had to have these things. See, that's what growing up in a big city does to you."

"Big cities seem pretty nice to me." He smiled. We weaved ourselves through the crowd. Nearby, beer bottles clanked and woman were squealing. We stepped off the sidewalk and Alek began walking me to my car.

"So, you were at Elliot's earlier?"

"Oh god," I groaned, "don't even mention them right now."

"Sorry. Didn't know something happened, want to talk about it?"

"No, it's okay. I'm mad at both of them right now."

"Both of them? Danny included?" A brow rose.

"Unfortunately, but yes." For a split second, a satisfactory smile tugged at Alek's lips, but quickly went back into a thin line when I looked over to him.

"I thought something was up last night."

"Last night dealing with him was almost disastrous. He was out of control."

"What do you mean?"

"He was being overprotective since I talked to one person he didn't like."

"Thought so, looks like you put Danny in a mood then."

"He was just looking out for me."

"Well, maybe he needs to realize you can look out for yourself. He needs to trust you more." I looked at Alek for a moment before answering. My head bobbed.

"At least you get it."

"What about Elliot? What did he do wrong? He doesn't exactly seem like the overprotective type." I shook my head, chocking on a quiet laugh.

"He told me he hooked up with Jenna last night, after I explained to him how her boyfriend killed her with the break up. She was drunk, and he knew it."

"Ooh. Wow, not cool. That's not good."

"Tell me about it." I sighed. My eyes lifted up to find my poorly parallel-parked car in front of us; it was the only one in sight. Behind us, a street light flickered brighter.

"The repercussions of that might be awkward."

"Tomorrow wont exactly be my most favorite day of school, I can tell you that right now."

"Well, I'll help you through it." He kindly said, grabbing my hand and squeezing it. My heart jumped, skipping a beat, but I didn't let it show.

"Thank you." I said with a faint smile, my voice low. The next few seconds were hard to register they happened so fast. Alek leaned in and suddenly, his cold lips touched my cheek. Seconds later, he pulled away, his eyes glaring down to my lips, staring at them for a moment. My eyes did the same, opening them from being shut and looking down to his lips. We both grew silent. Alek leaned in closer; I did the same. Our eyes locked and he tilted his head slightly, kissing my lips lightly at first. For some reason, I kissed him back—this time more passionate. The kiss felt different then I thought—not that I had thought of kissing Alek. It felt, passionate, daring, perfect—yet so wrong. I didn't want this kiss to stop though. He placed a cool hand on my cheek, and my hand went straight for his shoulder. Thank God I decided to pop a mint right after dinner. It was in that moment, I realized I needed him more than I needed Danny or Elliot. For once, I felt needed, loved, and normal—something I haven't felt like in a long time. Alek was someone to understand me, he got me, he cared about me. And that was all I needed, someone who wouldn't let me go. And I felt all of that with one kiss. I could feel the friendship that we'd built up for the past few weeks heat up, and turn into something bigger. My thoughts began to bombard me. What was I doing? What was wrong with me? I couldn't—I shouldn't be kissing him. This felt wrong, and I had no clue why. When oxygen, and my thoughts, became an issue, I reluctantly separated from him. Our eyes slowly opened, meeting each others gaze. He looked sad, like he did something wrong. The more time passed by, the more wrong the kiss felt.

"I'm sorry." He apologized quietly. His eyes showed fear, as if he did something wrong.

"No, it's not you. It's just, it's getting late and my parents don't know I'm out," I lied, "see you tomorrow?" Was I really dumb enough to run from this? Aleks eyes softened, and his lips dropped into a frown.

"Okay." His head nodded, his lips pursed together. My hand slipped from his and I walked away. Beep, beep, my car unlocked. But, instead of continuing on walking to my car, I stopped dead in my tracks on the sidewalk. Alek was still standing there, hands in his pockets. Turning around, I quickly walked back to him. Hell with it, who cares if this felt wrong? There was no reason for it to feel bad. And if there was going to be a reason to feel bad, I'd give myself something to really feel bad about. He cupped his hands around my face, and I did the same to his. The second kiss felt even better than the first. _Don't think about how wrong this is,_ some voice in my head whispered. Go away, I wanted to tell it. The kiss lasted a few more seconds until Alek broke it off.

"Goodnight." He quietly said, his hands falling away from my face. He turned around and walked off towards his car, and I did the same. Once he was out of sight, I turned the engine on and sat there in the darkness for a minute. What did I just do? Tomorrow was going to be awkward. As I drove off the empty street and into the main part of Savannah again, I made a quick, and dumb decision. Directing the car to make a sharp right, I turned in the opposite direction of my house—and towards Danny's. My head screamed and fought'what are you doing' but my heart felt bad. Maybe it was remorse, or maybe it was me lying so much, but I needed someone to talk to. Even if Danny hated Alek's guts, I needed to talk with him. Even Elliot would do, but right now, I was angrier with him than Danny.

I've hit rock bottom, it was official, I was crazy. At least, I had to be crazy for walking up Danny's dark driveway at ten seventeen at night. Tucked inside my pocket, my phone buzzed. It was Jeremy, probably wondering where I was, being the messenger for dad and Shylee of course. My thumb pressed down on the red ignore button and I wrote a quick text saying that I'd be home within the half hour. Probably. I walked onto the porch and raised my knuckle up to the door, ready to knock. There was no reason to be here, I just needed to talk. Was Jenna a better choice? No, of course not, it's _Jenna_. She'd just encourage me on anything. Talking to my brother about this wasn't an option. Seeing Danny and me in bed together this morning would only give him the wrong opinion. Was it so wrong to feel this bad after a kiss with a guy some girls could only dream of being with? Kissing someone wasn't supposed to feel wrong, unless you loved someone else.

Which I didn't of course.

_Right?_

My fist pounded on the front door of the Taylor apartment house. It was good his parents weren't home; this would have made it even more awkward. About twenty seconds later, the door came swinging open. Danny's face looked tense, tired, and hopeless.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. My mouth opened to speak, but instead, my body talked for me. I rushed inside the house and wrapped my arms around him, giving him a hug. He was stiff for a minute, as if he didn't want to be around me, but he loosely returned the hug, hugging his arms around my back. Someone at the restaurant must have slipped me something, a truth pill, something to make me feel all upset, anything. Maybe all I needed instead of a talk was a hug so I could stop my mind from going crazy. It needed to calm down. I guess I wasn't aware of what was coming up next. Unable to control my emotions, a tear rolled down my cheek.

"What's going on?" He pulled away, I quickly wiped away the salty tear.

"Can we talk?" My voice cracked, eyes watering and all.

"What happened?" Finally, he seemed concerned.

"Nothing. No, I don't, it's just—" My eyes burned of saltiness.

"Hey, come here, did he hurt you?" Danny pulled me close to him, pushing my head down to his shoulder. I shook my head and pulled away, smearing the tear drops off with my palm.

"No, it's—" I stopped mid sentence and realized something important. Did _he_ hurt you, Danny had asked. The room fell eerily silent, minus the on going noise of chirping crickets outside.

"What?" His eyebrows furrowed together.

"You just said he."

"No." He mumbled, biting down on his lip.

"I told you I was going out with Jenna." I paused; Danny silently cursed himself out in his mind. He let it slip. "You followed me there?" My voice didn't sound strong, it sounded hurt.

"You said you were with Jenna!"

"So you followed me to make sure I was with her?"

"In my defense I was downtown already!"

"That's hard to believe," my voice grew stronger, "let me guess you happened to be there in the same exact place and time?"

"Well, yeah, it—wait, how am I getting in trouble for this? You're the one who lied about where you were going! If anything I should be mad at you!" I chocked on a laugh.

"You followed me on a date, how can I not be mad at you?"

"I told you, I don't trust him." Danny spitefully said. If I had a dollar for every time he said that, I'd be rich already.

"This isn't about trusting Alek! I already told you nothing would happen between him and you. Nothing. And I've kept that promise so far."

"How come I don't believe you?"

"You really need to trust me more."

"I trust _you_, not him. He seems too perfect."

"That's just how he is, you didn't need to follow me because of that. I can look out for myself."

"Thank you Alek for yet more perfect advice!" He rolled his eyes. Alek said those same words to me right before the…

"You were there for that too?" I screeched. A bomb exploded in my mind. Danny said nothing. All the blood rushed to my cheeks. How much had he seen? The whole thing? Or only the beginning? My face scrunched up in anger

"That's low. Even for you." I intoned before proceeding to turn around and stalk away from the house without another word. I felt embarrassed, no, more than that. I was so disappointed and upset I felt sick. My throat felt tight, my face felt hot. Quickly, I jumped into the car and drove off into the quiet night. All I wanted to do was go home, crawl into bed, and cry until I went to sleep. But, the tears didn't have the chance to wait that long. Not even halfway through my drive, the burning sensation of salty tears welled up in my eyes. They blurred my vision and I could barely see, so I did the right thing and pulled over onto the side of the road. Rain fell from the sky and dotted up my windshield. A car passed me, the headlights blaring into my mirrors. It hurt to cry, my body shook and I buried my face into my hands. I let out a quiet sob, but tried to stifle them by cupping my hand over my mouth. Since when did one of the best nights of my life turn out to be so…bad?


	35. Over The Edge

**A/N: Woo next chapter! Ugh we keep getting closer to these chapters I want to tell you guys about. But, my lips are sealed :] PLEASE REVIEW. **

_Chapter Thirty-Five:_

_Over The Edge_

_Chapter Song: Dream by Miley Cyrus_

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Henely strolled up and down the aisles, peeling papers off a stack and slapping them facedown on each student's desk.

"A lot of these quizzes were very good." He murmured. Testing wasn't my biggest achievement in life. It put more of a damper on my grades, which wasn't good. The test handed back was complicated, but when on earth in whatever job that will hold for me in the future will I need to know the old history of 1733 America.

"Not one of your bests, Alexa." Mr. Henely muttered after dropping the dreaded paper on my desk. How bad could it be? C plus, C minus maybe? I peaked onto the person next to me at some point during the test, it had to be helpful. _Please be bearable, please be bearable_, I silently begged. D minus. I dropped the paper as if it were on fire. Scanning the quiz for wrong answers Mr. Henely mistakenly marked didn't help, he was like Santa—he checked the list, or in our case the answer sheet, twice. Was it bad I didn't know the answers to the questions that had big red X marks slapped over them? Okay, so maybe I hadn't studied enough the previous night. When we'd taken the quiz yesterday, all I was able to think about while filling in the multiple choice bubbles was a) Danny, B) Alek, C) what would Elliot say? D) Danny, E), F), and G) the kiss.

My mind was on overload that day.

"Thanks a lot Marshy." Kate Friedman mumbled indirectly to Mr. Henely, her friend's barked laughs into the sleeves of their jackets. A few years ago, one of his top students had remarked that he looked like Marshall from _How I Met Your Mother_, and the name 'marshy' stuck.

"I expect you all to review your wrong answers and to revise them in short answers for tomorrows class, along with your seven questions of test review." A chorus of groans could be heard around the room. The bell to first period rang.

"Don't study and there will be consequences!" Mr. Henely called as students shuffled to grab their belongings and leave. Quickly picking up my bag from the floor, I walked out of the room.

"Lex', wait." Danny called, scrambling to get his bag and notebook.

"Don't call me that." I said, not looking back. I made my way out of the room and bumped into just who I was looking for—Alek.

"Just who I was looking for." He looked down to me.

"Perfect timing, believe me." I gave him a weak smile.

"Morning to you too." He leaned in and pecked my lips. My pulse jumped, that was unexpected. The kiss lasted a few long moments, and I could tell people were staring.

"Sorry, right, morning."

"Alexa, come on. Can we talk?" Danny came out of class; his bag slung over one shoulder.

"Not now." I replied as I reached back, grabbing Alek's arm and didn't bother to fare Danny a farewell. We walked, more like I pulled Alek, towards math class.

"You good?"

"Yeah, fine. We ran out of coffee this morning and I had no time to go to Starbucks, so ignore me until later." I shook m head, frustrated. I was lying to him already. We weren't in a definite relationship yet, but at the same time we were, but I was already lying to him.

"Are you sure? You and Danny seem kind of…eh…"

"Off, I know." Jenna had said the same thing yesterday, "we're in a fight, but we're fine. I swear." No I didn't. We weren't fine. Who was I kidding?

"If you say so." Alek shrugged, draping his arm around my shoulder. We made our way to my math class.

"I'll see you next period." He pressed his lips to my cheek and walked off. The spot where Alek kissed my cheek burned, it still felt wrong. And _still_, I had no idea why. In my own little world, I took myself into math class and sat myself in my assigned seat, in the second row all the way in the back. I slung my backpack onto the wooden desk and unzipped the small pocket in the front, revealing my phone. I clicked the center button for a message to pop up on the screen.

'_You can't keep running from this, we've got to talk at some point'._ Danny's message said. I glared at the screen, wanting to make a face of annoyance, but that'd be to obvious. A loud thump appeared in front of me, and my head snapped up. Great, he caught me, I at first thought. But it was Jenna, and she slammed her world history textbook on the surface of my desk. People's heads turned, staring at where the noise originated. Jenna's glare read that she was severely angry at something…but what?

"Hey." I gave a quick smile and looked back down to my phone, debating whether or not to slide the unlock button to answer the text.

"Umm, hello?" She dragged on. Okay, what was going on?

"Hi." I looked back up, raising my brows at her.

"What was that? You and wha—okay, you've got major explaining to do."

"Jenna, speak proper English first and I might get what you're going at."

"Alek and you! He kissed you by Marshy's room! And his arm was around you when you were walking here. What's with that? And don't you say nothing." Damn, she caught me out. That was going to be my response. I was hoping to ignore the subject.

"Do we have to talk about that now?" People were staring. Couldn't Jenna shut up for five seconds, or maybe this class period?

"Yes, now." She demanded. "Is this why you were acting so weird yesterday? Did this get you all mope-y and weird?" I gave her a

"No, this is why I've been all mope-y and weird." I pulled out my phone and showed Jenna the message on the screen. Her eyes scanned over it, and they rolled back with the shake of her head.

"What, is he jealous?"

"No, he doesn't like him." I slid the screen and typed back a quick message.

'_Maybe, but it's not gonna be today'_. My thump pressed the send button.

"Your oblivious. Of course he is. I just got jealous from looking at you too."

"No, I'm not. I told you," I sat down in my seat and placed my backpack on the ground, "he doesn't like him. He never did."

"Maybe he just doesn't like the fact that you're dating someone."

"It's not that, I swear."

"Then what is it?" Her brows questionably rose.

"I wish I knew." I sighed, there had to be away to get off this subject. "But speaking of kissing, I heard about you and…"

"Don't you think of saying his name in public." She stopped me.

"Wouldn't dare."

"How'd you find out?"

"Elliot spilled."

"Alexa!" She squealed.

"Sorry! Sorry. _He_ spilled."

"That little rat." She mumbled.

"Hey." I looked to her. Though I was angry at him for doing this to Jenna, he was still my friend.

"I'm sorry! I don't know what he was thinking. What am I saying, he wasn't thinking."

"My sentiments exactly."

"Are you angry?"

"At him, yeah. You? No."

"Is this why you weren't sitting with them at lunch yesterday?"

"Part of it. Mix together me being angry with Elliot and Danny being angry at me, and vice versa then yeah. It's like one problem on top of another. Great week so far." I finished sarcastically.

"What do you think about this; you, me, Katelyn. Tonight. Hanging out, venting session, eating, whatever else us girls do when we've got boy issues."

"That sounds perfect." Hey, it was better than nothing. A little girl time sounded perfect. Inside Jenna's pocket, her phone buzzed. She slid it out and looked at the screen. Her smile fell and her eyes were glued to the screen. Had her ex-boyfriend texted her?

"Jenna, you okay?" I asked. She was silent for a few more moments and then slid her phone back into her pocket.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"Who was that?" Okay, maybe I was being a bit nosy, but if her boyfriend who cheated on her was harassing her, I had a right to know…right?

"Oh, nobody." She quickly disregarded the question and moved on in an instant.

line break

The top was rolled down to Alek's convertible and the wind was flowing through my hair. The radio was turned up and I was leaning my head out the window, enjoying the fresh air. I smiled to myself, taking in the moment. The scenery flew by as Alek went forty-five on a road leading to Jenna's house.

"When do you think you'll be done? I can always pick you up later." Alek offered. I leaned my head back into the car.

"Jenna will just drive me home, you don't need to be coming all the way out here at eleven. Besides, you've done enough already."

"Oh come on, going to your house and dropping you off at Jenna's isn't what I call doing enough."

"Well, in my book it is."

"You know, I'd still do it."

"And that's why you're the best."

"I wouldn't say the best." He sarcastically bragged.

"Don't be cocky." I looked at him with a slight smile on my face.

"Kidding! But hey, feel free to come over afterwards."

"I'll think about it."

"Fine. We'll leave it at that."

"Thank you."

"You and Jenna, are you two close?"

"She's my closest girl-friend here, so yeah, we are kind of close. But she's too audacious, too out there, and it's hard to handle that sometimes. This girl Kaitlyn's coming tonight, so it shouldn't be to bad."

"Oh come on, it sounds fun." He bit his lip.

"You're lying."

"No! What, you'll be gossiping, doing your nails, and whatever else you girls do."

"And now I know you're really lying." I laughed loudly. Alek smiled and stepped on the pedal, making the car go faster along the winding road.

break

Alek pulled in front of Jenna's house and put the car in park, letting us both get out of it. Alek walked around the front of the car, and I shut my door. I leaned over the door and grabbed my purse from the seat.

"Have fun, okay?" Alek looked at me, putting his hands on my waist.

"I'll try." I wrapped my hand against the back of his neck and we both leaned in. Our lips pressed together and moved in sync. His hands tightened around my waist and mine tightened around his neck. The kiss started off gentle, and as it went on, it got more passionate. It was as if someone was watching, and he wanted to make that someone jealous—as if he was showing me off. But, I went with it because…I liked it.

"I can see you two!" Jenna's voice called loudly. Our kiss broke and we both looked in the direction the voice came in. Jenna was standing on her porch with her hands glued on her hips.

"Call me if you need anything." I nodded my head and he kissed me again.

"Get a room." Jenna howled. I rolled my eyes and walked in Jenna's direction.

Jenna pushed through the door to a bedroom twice the size of my own. Kaitlin already sat on a shag rug in the center of the room, munching from a bowl of pretzels and sipping on a can of Coke Zero.

"Hey." She smiled, grabbing another handful of pretzels.

"Hey." I repeated.

"Well you just missed a steamy make out session outside." Jenna laughed.

"Oh?" Kaitlin's eyebrows rose.

"How long were you watching for?" I slung my bag down and sat down on the rug beside Kaitlin.

"Long enough to get jealous I don't have a boyfriend to do that with."

"So you two, you're officially going out? I mean I've heard rumors, but you know, you can't ever trust them."

"There's rumors?" My brows rose and my mouth dropped. People were talking about me behind my back?

"Only a few! Nothing bad, I swear, and apparently they're true, so who cares." Me.

"What are people saying?"

"They're all wondering if you two are going out. Half the grade says yes since you two are spending so much time together, and half the grade says no since they think you're going out with Taylor or whatever his name is."

"Danny."

"That's it.'

"Hey!" Jenna barked, "no talking about him! This is supposed to be fun. If you two are in a fight and complaining, that's not much fun."

"I'm fine, complaining is helping me anyways."

"Have you been complaining to Alek?" She smirked.

"If you must know…kind of. No, not really."

"What?" Kaitlin chimed in.

"He's been asking, I haven't excessively been talking about it. I'd much rather be enjoying my time with him then talking about my fight with Danny. It's not that interesting."

"Wait, Alexa, what happened between you and him?" Time to lie…again. Damn Danny and his secret.

"Alek and I went on a date the other night and Dany happened to be in the area. So, I caught him spying on us. I confronted him about it but then he threw it back on me and we got into this whole argument."

"All over Alek?"

"That and the trust issues between us."

"Wait, he doesn't trust you or Alek?"

"Alek. He thinks he's to perfect, which is ridiculous. There's nothing he could be lying about."

"I actually kind of get where he's coming from, and I never agree with him." Jenna admitted.

"Same." Kaitlin rubbed the back of her neck.

"What?" I looked more to Jenna in shock.

"I'm not saying don't date the guy, I'm saying to be careful. Take it slow, I don't want the same thing to happen to you." She referred, thinking back to her situation with Nick.

"Jenna, you were the one that said to go for it!"

"This is me expressing concern about one of my best friends new boyfriend. Guys can be such dirt-bags."

"And I love you for it, I do, but I feel good. It's been a hard, complicated few months here, and now I'm starting to feel that things are getting back to normal again."

"What do you mean? Things have always been normal here."

"There's been one to many bombshells dropped on me since I've gotten here. All I want is for life to be one hundred percent normal again."

"Oh come on, your life seems pretty normal! Name two things that have gone wrong since you've gotten here."

"I found out that ghosts exist and there's a girl in my history text book that's my twin."

"She's got a point." Kaitlin shrugged.

"Okay so some dead girl looks like you and there's dead people haunting the town we live in. We should be used to it." Jenna insisted.

"It's a lot to take on." I looked to Kaitlin for some help, but she just rolled her eyes regarding Jenna's reaction.

"Sooo," Kaitlin dragged on, "care to explain about what happened at Vlad's party Saturday night, Jenna?" I sneaked a peak at Jenna, she was fiddling with her BlackBerry. As she scrolled through the pictures, I noticed a shot of Jenna and I took during math on my birthday_. That was a good day,_ my mind reminisced. A message popped up on Jenna's screen, but before I could see whom it was from, she flipped her phone down.

"Elliot took advantage of me being drunk and I hooked up with him because I was desperate and upset and really, really upset that Nick brought a date."

"He brought Rachel." Kaitlin nodded with pursed lips.

"Hate her so much." She mumbled.

"We all do."

"I don't even know her and I do." I agreed, nodding my head.

"I hope that her and Nick go—" Jenna began but stopped mid-sentence when her phone rang. She blankly stared at the screen.

"Jen, you okay?" Kaitlin asked.

"I'll be right back." She abruptly got up, snatching her phone into her palm. Kaitlin and I gave each other confused glances, what had just happened?

"I know it's none of my business, but you should forgive Danny. He's just looking out for you."

"Looking out for me, or stalking me?"

"He's your best friend, I'd trust him."

"He's got to earn it first." I sighed.

break!

"Yeah, right!" Jenna laughed over the pop music playing from the stereo. I kept quiet and to myself in the back behind the drivers seat. Kaitlin was in the passenger seat. I'd had my share of a good time with them, and now I was in the mood to go home and go to sleep. It's been a long day.

"So what do you think you're gonna do to get him back? Specially engrave his car or let some nails mysteriously end up in all four tires?" Kaitlin asked, regarding revenge for Nick.

"I was thinking a few slashes to all his tires and maybe a few to Rachel's brand new BMW. I don't know about you, but that would be pretty satisfying to me." Did Jenna do this for fun? Whenever she wanted revenge on someone, did she just cut up people's tires and ruin their cars paint job? Was Kaitlin not going to stop her? It wasn't any of my business, but if I were her, I wouldn't be doing that even if my boyfriend cheated on me.

"I'd be careful Jen, you never know when they would be watching." The voice of reason, Kaitlin, finally admitted. In the back of the car, I fiddled with my phone in my hands. I turned the screen towards me and slid the phone open. I looked through my text messages and clicked on composing a new one. My thumbs twiddled with the on-screen keyboard, and pressed down on Danny's name. I wrote up a quick message, asking if we could talk sometime tonight. _He's probably up fighting ghosts so he'll see this_, I thought. My thumb stopped right before hitting the send button. Should I really listen to Kaitlin and break down my wall, letting Danny win this? I clicked my phone off, not wanting to think about this. Not now, my mind chanted. My eyes looked to the empty seat next to me, and then to the dark window. Goosebumps appeared on my arms, feeling as if someone was there. Danny couldn't have been there, he wouldn't spy on me after everything that happened on Sunday night. I let out a breath and counted the minutes until the car ride was over. And ten minutes later, it was.

"See you guys tomorrow!" Kaitlin waved, stepping out of Jenna's light blue Volkswagen CC at ten forty five at night. The quiet neighborhood street was empty and dark, except for the occasional streetlight or two.

"Bye Kate."

"Bye." I waved, switching to the passenger seat of Jenna's car. The moment my door was closed and seat belt buckled, Jenna sped off. The radio was turned off.

"So you never went into detail about the first kiss with him." Jenna grinned, dying to know.

"I don't know, it was like a normal, enjoyable kiss." I was uncomfortable talking about this. Was that wrong?

"Well from the looks of you two outside my house, it seemed a little more than enjoyable." She winked.

"Okay, fine. It was great. There was one—" Jenna's phone ringed for the bazillion time this evening.

"Hang on, I've got to take this." She blandly said. She slid her phone and answered the call.

"Yeah?" I couldn't hear anyone on the other line, but she could. Her glare towards the road seemed distant, and her body went tight.

"Okay." She said, seconds after asking her first question. She put the phone in the cup holder and she grew quiet.

"Who was that?" I asked, curious. Maybe it was Kaitlin? She could have forgotten something. Jenna turned onto a deserted, never ending road that eventually would lead to my house.

"No one." Her voice was monotone; it was like she didn't want to talk. The car grew dead silent, the only noise coming from the tires rolling on the pavement below.

"So, what are you thinking about Danny?" Jenna broke the silence with a strange question.

"I think Kaitlin's right. I should get passed this; it's been a few days. He got the message."

"I could help you, you know. Get even."

"I'm not that type. I know you want to get back at Nick and Rachel, but leave Danny out of your revenge plan." I chuckled, trying to break the uncomfortable ice between us. Jenna became silent again. What had just come over her? Moment later, my phone rang. I turned it over, and the screen revealed that Danny was calling

"Speaking of the devil," I sighed, "hold on, it's Danny." As I was about to answer the call, Jenna snatched the phone from my hand. She tossed it in the back and it landed with a subtle thump in the back seat. It blended with the black interior, there was no way I could reach back and get it. I chocked on a laugh, veiling my shock.

"Jenna, what are you doing, that's my phone?" My head turned to the back seat again. Nope, still couldn't see it. She ignored me, as if she didn't hear me. Her foot tapped down on the gas.

"Jenna? What are you doing?" I looked over to the speedometer, it hit fifty-five.

"I know you're hiding something. A lot of people are looking for you and him."

"What?"

"You both made them suffer." Jenna kept her eyes glued on the road disappearing in front of her.

"Who is this we? What are you talking about?" There was something going on.

"They don't think it's right for you two to be walking around." She said, her voice still dull and bland.

"Oh really? And what do these people want? To send me away?" I smiled, holding back a laugh. Whatever game Jenna was playing was funny. Where was she getting this?

"No, they just want you dead. Completely this time." She paused. Who wanted me dead? God, there was a list of people—a list of ghosts. Ghosts…

"You and Danny. They don't want you both to be living two lives, Anna." Her head turned to me, and I studied her expression—it was like stone, no emotion.

"Stop the car, Jenna." I stated in a firm voice. All Jenna did was look at me, a smirk lifting up her lips.

"Let me out of this car!" I yelled. She perceptibly ignored it. Breaking the tension, her phone rang for the second time in five minutes. She clicked the answer button and put it on speaker, placing the phone on the dashboard.

"Danny, just the person I wanted to talk to." She clearly announced.

"Can you give Alexa the phone?" He asked.

"She's a little busy right now." Jenna lied.

"Okay, I guess she doesn't want to talk to me but what's going on?" He sensed something was up.

"You and all the other ghosts need to leave town."

"Ghosts? What are you talking about?" He hesitated.

"Don't act dumb, I know everything." She barked.

"But Jenna, what—"

"Danny, this isn't Jenna!" I piped up. Jenna shook her head, and turned to me. She let go of the wheel, letting her knee steer. She grabbed the chain of the locket Danny had given me and yanked it back. Her other free hand clasped over my mouth and nose. It was tight enough so I couldn't breathe. The car swerved over the empty road, but Jenna seemed to easily control it with her knee. The cold silver of the locket pressed up against my throat.

"W-wewa, wwhap!" My words came out mumbled and inaudible. I couldn't breathe, my lungs burned. I grabbed onto her hands and somehow pried them off of my mouth.

"What's going on?" Danny yelled. Once one hand was off she took the other one down from choking me. I coughed for air as Jenna grabbed back onto the steering wheel and forced the car back onto the one lane we were in before. My throat and neck burned where the chain had cut into my skin.

"What are you doing?" I yelled once I caught my breath.

"What's going on?" Danny repeated, demanding to know.

"I'm going to kill her one way or another. No more problems for any of us if both of you are dead! Anna's got to go first, one way or another. You two can't work together." A speed limit sign passed us, saying the most you could do was fifty. Jenna just hit sixty-seven. Now seventy.

"You wont do it."

"Really? Try me, because in about a minute, we'll both be over Rosewell Bridge." Jenna stepped on the gas and shifted the car into 'sport' mode. My body flew back into the leather seat. It burned. The forest on both sides of the car quickly blurred past us. She was really going to do it; she was going to kill both of us.

"First it's Anna, then it's you. Say goodbye to your ghost friend, Danny." She added.

"Jenna slow down!" I begged, watching the speedometer hit 87. My fingernails dug into the seat. She had an evil smirk on her face as she heard me begin to hyperventilate.

"Stop the car, Jenna!" Danny demanded. Her foot pounded on the gas. Ninety-six. Ninety-nine. One hundred and five.

"Jenna stop it!" I screamed. A sign that read 'Rosewell Bridge' flashed passed us and almost immediately, the bridge came into view. I was screwed. My life was over; I'd die at age seventeen from what everyone else but Danny and Elliot would know was a ghost attack. It was as if I could see it flash before my eyes. There wasn't enough time to tell Danny I was sorry, or to tell my parents I'd miss them, to tell Jeremy I loved him, or to thank Alek for making me feel loved—making me feel like I was someone important. If I stayed in the car, I was dead. If I jumped out of the car, I was dead. There was no way of surviving this.

"Stop the car!" Even Danny's voice sounded like it was passing by as quick as the car was going. Everything felt distant and reality hit me again.

"Jenna, stop it! Slow down!" I grabbed onto the dashboard. As if that was supposed to help, "stop! Jenna, slow down!" I cried, I was on the verge of tears. I didn't hear any other word from Danny. He was really going to leave me like this, to die. I couldn't blame him; I wouldn't want to be on the phone when my best friend called me, being threatened with death by her friend. Danny was useless, he couldn't help at this point.

"Jenna, stop!" I screamed. Her eyes flashed an eerie green and glimpsed down to the speedometer. We were halfway across the bridge and I saw her hands grasp a tight grip on the wheel, about to turn it. God help me, I prayed. And just like that, the wheels squealed against the dry pavement and Jenna's foot slammed onto the breaks. A scream escaped my mouth, my body flying towards the dashboard and then crashing into the seats. Smoke surrounded the car and lifted like a fog. I was silent for a moment, taking in everything. The car wasn't underwater and we were alive, what was the chance of that? My breath was shaky, and I couldn't speak. Jenna looked towards me, her bright green eyes cutting into me. Those weren't her eyes.

"Get out of the car, now." She ordered. Who was in her body? It sure wasn't Jenna. Without a nod of my head or a word out of my mouth, my shaking hands unbuckled the seatbelt and swung open the car door. I grasped the top of the door and pulled myself out, slamming the door behind me afterwards. Was I even okay to walk? My knees felt like they could buckle at any given moment. My eyes were dotted with tears and I began walking away from Jenna.

"Come back." She commanded.

"Stay away from me." I demanded, still walking away from the scene. I was going to walk home if I had to—without a phone to call for help. Jenna's body went limp as a shadow with an eerily glow came out of her body. Jenna dropped to the ground and teen ghost hero Danny Phantom flashed next to her.

"Alexa!" He called. I turned on my heel and saw him. What was he doing here? My eyes shifted to see Jenna on the ground; did he just knock her out? That didn't matter; the fact that he didn't appear till now pissed me off.

"Were you just going to let her kill me?" I yelled, reaching my hand out gesturing to Jenna's passed out body. He changed back into his human form.

"I stopped the car didn't I?" He retorted, yelling back.

"That was you?" I cried, wiping a tear. My heart was still racing just as fast as the car had been going before it abruptly stopped.

"Yes! I just overshadowed her. Somebody was forcing her to do that, they got into her mind."

"I figured that! She just tried to kill me!" I sobbed. My cheeks burned.

"Okay," he ran a hand through his hair, "just get back in the car and we'll figure something out."

"Figure something out? No. And I'm not getting back in that car with her!"

"I thought that insisted that I was driving." He huffed and looked down to Jenna's body.

"No! What if she tries to choke me again?"

"She's fine now I began reluctantly walking towards the two. Jenna mumbled something and began turning over. Her eyes fluttered open and they darted straight for me.

"Alexa?" She mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Her gaze fell on Danny.

"What are you doing here? What happened? Where are we?" She proceeded to ask. Danny crouched down to her level.

"You're going to get in the back seat of your car, not say anything the whole ride back, and let us borrow your car after, right?" Danny stared into her eyes.

"Right." She nodded her head.

"And all you'll remember tomorrow is that you dropped off Alexa and went home?"

"Yes." She was like a robot, taking all of his commands.

"Now Jenna, who told you to do this?" He asked her, putting his hands together.

"Do what?" She stopped to think. His head shook and helplessly fell down. Danny stood up and directed Jenna to get into the car, which she listened. I involuntarily got into the passenger seat, terrified for the car ride ahead. Danny threw Jenna's BlackBerry in the cup holder along with a tube of lip-stick and a pack of gum. I reached for it and began invading her phone. There had to be a connection between the phone call she got before acting weird and almost driving me off the bridge. There it was, a call from an unknown number. It was at ten fifty-one—two minutes before she called Danny.

The car ride to Jenna's, and then to my house was silent. Our breathing filled the open silence between us. Danny had dropped off Jenna at her house twenty minutes ago, and she got out and went up to her room without a single question. I guess ghosts really can get into your mind that easily. Now, Danny parked the car in front of my driveway. My body lifted itself out of the car, holding onto the doors top, and stood still for a minute, taking in a deep breathe of the freezing winter air. I turned around and found Danny glaring at me, his hands stuffed into his pocket.

"What?" I questioned.

"What do you mean what? I've been trying to talk to you for two days."

"Odd, that's how long I've been ignoring you." I shut the door to Jenna's car.

"You can't ignore me now, I'm right here, and I feel like I should get some points for saving you tonight." A smile lifted up one side of his lips.

"I've moved on. I don't care anymore. I'm over it. And this was decided before you helped me out, but thanks for the tip." I cocked my head.

"So you forgive me?"

"Do I still think it's wrong that you were spying on us? Completely. Am I still disappointed in you for it? Yes. But, you're my best friend I can't hate you forever."

"I was hoping you'd say that." He came over the other end of the car and engulfed me in a hug. He smelled like a mix of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein cologne. His face pressed up against my hair.

"Great, now the new problem arises' of who got to Jenna?"

"Any idea on who'd want to kill you and me?"

"Any ghost you've ever met."

"I don't get how they got to her."

"Someone was texting and calling her all day. She deleted the messages though. I looked through them. And the calls under unknown, so it's not like we can call them back."

"Then it looks like we've got to sit back and make sure nothing else happens."

"Easier said than done." I sighed.


	36. Family Ties

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in SOOO long! Finishing up exams on the 8****th**** of this month and I'm free from school! God I can't wait for summer. Hope this chapter makes up for the time! I hope this all finally comes together for those who are confused or think that this isn't really a DP fic ;] **

_Chapter Thirty-Six:_

_Family Ties_

_Chapter Song: Talk To Me by Abandoned_

I rushed down the stairs as a knock on the front door sounded. It was one of two people—Alek or Danny. Danny had to pick up his history book and homework before school. Why he couldn't get it from me when I saw him in class, don't ask me. Alek was coming over to pick me up. And if this was him, I wasn't close to being ready. I hopped off the last step and quickly walked to the door. As I opened it, Alek's head lifted up and his dazzling smile greeted me.

"Hi." He said. I smiled to him, and took a hold of his hand. I pulled him through the door, shutting it on my war. My head peaked sideways and my eyes darted down the hallway to make sure my father and Shylee weren't lurking around. _Good_, I said to myself once I realized they weren't there. I took a few steps back and stood on my tiptoes, cupping a hand around his soft cheek. He leaned in to his me, and I did the same. His ran an ice-cold hand over my freshly straightened hair. The kiss broke when Alek's lips curled into a smile.

"You're happy." He observed.

"Good mood, that's all." I shrugged.

"You might want to put a jacket on, it's freezing outside." His eyes looked down to my navy blue camisole.

"I'm not even ready yet. You're early." I took a few steps up the stairs, and Alek followed. We eventually made our way up the stairs. Just as we made it to the second floor, Jeremy walked out of his room. His hair stuck up in every direction and he rubbed his sleep-crusted eyes.

"Hey, Jeremy." Alek said.

"Hi." Jeremy mumbled inaudibly and walked down the stairs.

"He seems happy." Alek said sarcastically.

"Don't even start with him before he's had coffee." I walked into my room and Alek followed like a puppy dog. He plopped himself onto my bed while I opened my drawers to pull out a long sleeved shirt. Walking over to my bed, I threw down my shirt. Alek stood up from my bed and positioned next to me.

"Look, you don't have to wait for m—" A pair of lips cut me off before I could finish. A pair of _soft_ lips. Aleks lips. His kiss was different from the one downstairs, but had an odd familiarity of the one that we shared outside Jenna's house. It was passionate, and I found myself responding to it instantly.

"I'm staying." His lips traveled to my ear, a hand firmly cupping my cheek as he spoke. His teeth grazed my exposed neck, nipping gently at the warm skin. Reflexively, I curved my neck for better access as he left a trail of cold kisses up and down my neck and shoulder.

"Alek…we're gonna be late…" Kisses along my neck made it hard for me to finish what I wanted to say. His body pressed into me, sending a flash of heat to my head as he backed me up against the wall next to my window seat. He pressed a cold finger against my lips. A pounding in my head silently screamed 'danger, danger!' but I loved the adrenaline rush.

"Shh," he stopped me. His forehead pressed against mine. "there's no wrong in missing a few minutes." He sanctimoniously grinned.

"Fine. A few more minutes." I agreed with a smile. There wasn't anything wrong with skipping the first few minutes of first period. The fact that my door was opened and my parents could walk by any minute made the adrenaline rush ten times better. Alek's head leaned forward and pressed against my lips. And we stayed in that position for a good five more minutes, kissing each other. And in those five minutes, somehow Alek made me forget about what happened last night and why I was stressing about it. _What happened last night?_ _Why bother worrying about the past,_ the back of my mind echoed. Soon enough, I heard a voice mumbled and someone whistle. My eyes shot open and pushed Alek off me to see Danny and Elliot standing there. Elliot was standing there amused; he was the one who whistled. Danny, not so much. I stood there with wide eyes and my cheeks burning.

"Get out!" I screeched.

"I need my book first." Danny crossed his arms over his chest. I shook my head, fury bubbling in my mind, and walked over to my bed, grabbing the book and hurled it at him. He easily caught it and the two awkwardly stood there for another moment.

"Bye!" I urged. The two rolled their eyes and walked away. Once I knew they were downstairs, I charged out of my room and, just in time, Jeremy walked up the stairs.

"Did you let them in?"

"Yeah?" His face stayed uninterested and uncaring.

"You could have said something!" I scolded.

"What, make out session cut short?" He cocked his head. My eyes grew to the size of tennis balls. My jaw dropped open. Jeremy smiled, seeing how phased I was by his comment.

"Been there, done that. Stop freaking out." He spat before going into his room and slamming the door behind him. I was left standing shell-shocked in the hallway. How did he have the gall to say that to me?

"Lex'," Alek peaked his head out of the room, I turned his way and suddenly a ball of clothing was thrown at me. They were my clothes.

"Come on, we're gonna be late." He smiled, mocking me from before. His head disappeared and he went somewhere deep into my room.

"You've got to be kidding me." I mumbled to myself and walked into the bathroom to go change.

line break

"You're late, Miss Pennington." Mr. Henely scolded when I walked into the room. I marched to my seat in the back of the room after mumbling a quick sorry—which I didn't mean at all. _It's almost winter break, than two weeks free of Henely,_ I chanted in my mind. Almost immediately, the history teacher went back to teaching his lesson. I settled myself in my seat and I could feel part of the class, Danny included, staring at my back.

"I just saw Alek Westburn walk by, you know what that means," someone in the back of the class whispered to her friend, "she's such a—"

"Spring Nineteen-fifty-two. Does anyone know what war started then and where?" Henely turned around to ask the class, causing the two girls to stop gossiping. For the rest of the class period, I counted the seconds on the extremely slow clock, debated with myself whether or not I like Valarie Grey's outfit for today. It wasn't bad—maybe to summery for this time of year thought. How wasn't she cold? It was at least in the low fifties.

_Beeeeeeeep._

I got up from my seat and picked my bag off the floor, slinging it across my shoulder.

"And I didn't think you'd show up today." Danny started off our convorsation.

"Why wouldn't I do that?" I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever. Anyways, this is for you." Danny rummaged through his bag and pulled out a silver thermos.

"What's this?"

"Thermos," he put the cold metal canister in my hands, "it catches ghosts and sends them back to wherever they come from. Do me a favor and keep it on you."

"Yeah, sure, okay. But, what's it this for exactly?"

"Just because. Elliot's got one too."

"Okay. Thanks." I slung my bag over and put it in the big zipper compartment. We began walking out of the class room and down the hall together.

"No more problems with Jenna last night, right?"

"Haven't heard from her since."

"Okay good, that means—"

"Hey." Alek came up to us and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Hi." I half smiled; I wanted to hear what Danny was going to say. There was an awkward silence when Danny and Alek looked to each other, then back to me.

"I'll see you later." He harshly commented and stormed away, disappearing in the crowd.

"Danny wait." I tried to stop him, but he was gone.

"Well, that was…"

"Don't mind him, I'm sorry."

"He doesn't like me very much, does he?"

"He doesn't know you. He's my best friend; he's looking out for me. But when he gets to know you, he'll love you."

"I don't know." He shook his head.

"Are you free tonight?"

"Perfect! Dinner, hanging out, my house: me, you, Danny and Elliot. And Danny will see what a great guy you are, mission accomplished." I smiled widely.

"I don't know…" he disagreed.

"Please? For me?" I pleaded; giving him the smile I'd give my dad when I told him I desperately needed something at the mall. He'd always cave for that one certain look I gave him.

"Fine." He surrendered. It always worked.

"Thank you." I jumped up and pecked him on the lips.

"See you later." He chuckled and walked away. Taking a step into the math room, I walked over to my desk with a smile on my face. I slapped my bag onto my desk and opened the small zipper compartment and took out my phone to send both Danny and Elliot an updated text on tonights events.

"Alexa." Jenna's monotone voice said. A gasp escaped my lips and I looked up with wide eyes.

"Jeez, someone's jumpy today. Did you not hear me calling you before?" She was normal. Thank God. A relieving breath took all the pressure off me.

"Sorry, no." My head shook.

"So, what's up? You got home alright last night, right? I don't remember even dropping you off." Maybe because Danny forced you not to remember.

"Really? You don't remember? But yeah, you did. I was fine." I lied.

"I was really tired, I probably did it subconsciously. But it's whatever. Last night was fun, we really need to do that more often!" She suggested.

"Yeah," I paused, "we should." My head nodded.

line break

The red, plastic, lunch tray clacked as I sat down at our usual lunch table on the opposite side of Danny and Elliot. Alek was still in the line getting his food. Elliot's thumbs were dwindling above his PDA keyboard while Danny was pushing food around his plate.

"So dinner at your house tonight?" Elliot asked without looking up.

"About that, could one of you do me the biggest favor?"

"What?" Danny asked.

"My parents are going out of town next week for ten days and their busy packing and stressing over plans, and if I bring anyone over they'll kill me. Could we maybe hang out at one our your houses? I'll bring take out."

"Why don't we just not do it?" Danny mumbled.

"I'll do it, as long as you bring food." Elliot suggested, he took a sip of his soda. "Why are you parents going out of town?"

"Honeymoon in Hawaii."

"Honeymoon? But they've been married—"

"I know. But they never really went on one, to much stuff got in the way between my dads job and the move."

"Oh. So you've got the house to yourself for ten full days?" Alek came and sat down beside me.

"Yup, just me and Jer."

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Change of plans, since my parents are going out of town and in full crazy mode right now, we're going to Elliot's later."

"That's fine." He agreed. Then, all of the sudden, as Alek was looking down at his phone, Danny's ghost sense went off and all of us stiffened, minus Alek. Though, he didn't seem to notice.

"I've—I've got to go make up a test. I'll see you guys." Danny immediately got up and rushed out of the cafeteria.

"What's wrong with him?" Alek's eyes traced where Danny ran off to.

"Nothing, he probably forgot." Elliot shrugged. Alek looked at me and I nodded my head in reassurance.

"Hm, okay then." He pursed his lips and closed his phone, sliding it into his pocket.

line break

My knuckles knocked on the door to Elliot's room and opened it.

"I brought food." I smiled, holding up the large plastic bag filled with take out boxes. I placed the bag on the bed and the boys began rummaging through it. I sat on the couch, waiting for Alek to come by my side.

"Aren't you eating?" Elliot asked, seeing that the bag was empty after they took their food out.

"Not hungry." I lied. Truth was, this was all part of my plan to get them to hang out together.

"If you say so." He shrugged and speared a fork into his chicken.

"I never asked, how was Jenna's yesterday?" Alek asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. I ignored Danny's hard glare.

"Fine, uh, you know the usual."

"What? That bad?"

"No, it was fine. It's just, you know Jenna's favorite subject is Jenna, so I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from."

"I'm sorry." He apologized, "you know I could have picked you up, right?"

"It's not your fault, don't worry. Believe me, it was bearable." I assured. For the next forty-five minutes, I sat back and listened to the conversation between Elliot and Alek. Danny occasionally spoke here and there, but it was always something negative. It was time for my plan to start because Jeremy was calling me.

"I'll be right back." I pushed myself off the couch and took myself out into the hallway.

"Hey, Jer." I answered, pressing the phone to my head.

"Where'd you go? Dad's wondering."

"Elliots. Why, does he need me?"

"No, I'm just—"

"What? Why?"

"What? But Alexa, I just said he—"

"Okay, I'll be right there."

"But lex', that's not what I'm—" I hung up on Jeremy, leaving him desperately confused. Walking back into the room, I found three pairs of eyes on me.

"What was that about?" Alek asked.

"Jer needs me home, I don't know, something's going on. I'm sorry."

"It's fine, do you want me to drive you home?" Danny offered.

"I've got my car, I'm fine. I'll see you guys later." I slid my phone into my pocket and leaned in to kiss Alek goodbye. I could feel his lips leave my bottom lip and I straightened myself up.

"I'll see you guys later." I said my farewell and walked out of Elliot's room and down to his driveway, where my car awaited me.

**Danny's POV: **

…_I'm taking it that you're with Alexa and you usually know what the hell she's thinking; please explain wtf that phone conversation was. _

_- Jeremy_

She left. She freakin left us alone. Was this some kind of plan? What the hell was this really? After figuring out that Jeremy really didn't need her, I was pissed. Beyond pissed. Pissed off was an understatement. It was—

"Danny, you ok?" Alek asked, seeing that I had a hardened expression on as I looked to my phone screen. _No Alek_, I silently spat. I wasn't ok because he was here, in Elliot's room. And two of my best friends were getting along with him. Did they not get that I felt like there was something up with this guy?

"I'm fine." I said, coldly. After Alexa left, I sat here in an awkward silence, listening to Elliot talking because, well, he always had something to say. Him and Alek started talking about his expensive car, and topics that blossomed off of that. How many topics could come off of a car? _Apparently a lot._

"Hey, do you live anywhere around here? We should chill at your place one night." Elliot suggested. Elliot, please stop talking.

"My, parents…" he stopped to take a gulp, "they're pretty strict about who comes over my home. In fact, it's rare for them to ever allow anyone over." He stated with a straight face. As he watched us look at him with confusion in our eyes, his hard expression broke and a smile cracked his lips.

"It's crazy," he laughed, "I know." As time kept passing, I tried thinking of a way to bug Alek. It may have sounded immature, but something was up with him. I just knew it. All we needed now was him to confess it.

"Soo," I began, my first time speaking up in a while, "what's really up with you and Alexa?" Elliot looked to me, giving me the 'dude-shut-up-before-you-do-something-stupid' look I usually gave him.

"What are you talking about?" His brows rose.

"Come on, there's got to be something up. You're acting like you're totally in love with her."

"Well…" he bit his lip.

"Oh my God." Elliot laughed.

"Dude, you're so whipped." I passed off as a laugh.

"Hey," he put up his hands in a defensive mode, "it is what it is."

"Did you tell her yet?" Elliot wondered.

"Of course not, at least, not yet."

"So, when?" I asked, though I knew he was lying. No one fell in love that fast.

"Now that's more my business, isn't it?" A smile played on his lips.

"Right, of course." I mumbled.

Alexa's POV:

I leaned my body against a stack of pillows, flipping through the latest edition of a Victoria's Secret magazine I received in the mail today. My legs were bent up and one was draped across the other.

Ooh, that's a cute dress.

I definitely need to buy that.

These models, they're so thin! Lucky.

Without looking up I could feel another presence in the room. And I could feel someone staring at me. I knew Danny eventually would figure my plan out; it was bound to happen eventually.

"Let's skip the 'I'm wrong in lying to you' talk." I flipped the page of my magazine.

"Convincing. You had all of us fooled."

"Yeah, well," with looking at the last dress, I shut the magazine and slapped it on my bed, "it had to be done." I looked up to find Danny hovering close to my cealing. "So, how'd you find out? Hear my phone conversation? Or do you know me well enough by now."

"Jeremy texted me."

"Hm, and I was so close." I shrugged, swinging my legs over the side of my bed and getting up. Surprised by my reaction, Danny landed gently on my floor and turned back to his human form.

"So what, this was just some plan to get me and your boyfriend to hang out?" He said the words like they were acid.

"What else do you think it was for? Of course! You hate him! And you don't even know him."

"You don't either!"

"He's my boyfriend, don't keep giving me this crap about that there's something going on. All I want you to do is like him. Elliot does, so why can't you try?"

"Because…"

"No more excuses about that you don't trust him."

"Fine. Whatever. I'll try." Wow, he gave that up…quickly.

"Promise?"

"Don't push it." He mumbled.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes. Danny made his way over to my dresser and noticed the piles of history papers toppled on it.

"History project," he stopped, and softly sighed "I forgot." Heneley assigned us an individual history project, of course due just a few days before break started. It was research on our family history…and no one seemed to care except him.

"It's harder than I thought, better start now." I suggested, going back to my spot on the bed and reopening the magazine. What page did I leave off at?

"Help me?" He asked, catching my eye contact through my mirror. I thought about it for a minute.

"If I say yes does that mean you promise me you'll be nice to Alek?"

"It means I'll _attempt_ to be nice to him."

"Those attempts better be pretty freakin' good then, because you owe me." _Forget this_…I closed the magazine.

"So you'll help me?"

"Come on, I'll drive." I hopped off my bed and gabbed the keys off my nightstand. They jingled in my hand.

"You still don't trust me flying you?" Danny chuckled. I turned to him with a straight face.

"Never have, never will." I shook my head and walked out of my room.

"Come on, it's not that bad!"

"Don't take it personally." I assured as I walked down the steps.

"You've known about this for almost six months and you still won't let me fly you."

"Don't take it personally. If I had any other half human half-ghost friends I wouldn't let them fly me either."

"Ha-ha, very funny." Danny mumbled.

Thirty minutes later we walked into Danny's house. It was silent. He flipped a light on, illuminating the living room.

"Mom? Dad?" He called, but no one replied back.

"Of course." He mumbled. Don't get me wrong, I felt terrible for Danny. His parents weren't home that often, and when they were, they were still indulged in work. But this was better to protect his secret, wasn't it?

"So, where should we start?" I wondered, following Danny through his house.

"Attic, I guess." He thought as we climbed the stairs until we reached the second floor, then we went on another pair of stairs down the hall to reach the third. We walked over to a certain spot in the hallway. Above us on the ceiling was an indentation—the attic door. Danny stood on his toes and reached up, grabbing the tight string attached to the ceiling. He forcefully pulled it down, and it opened to reveal an opening in the ceiling. The pair of wooden retractable stairs slowly descended to the floor. Danny adjusted them, straighten them out and securing them that they wouldn't fold up on us. As Danny took his first step on the wooden stairs, they creaked. I followed him. Once he reached the top of the stairs he jumped up onto the attic ground. Finally, I reached the top of the stairs. Danny reached his hand down to help me up. I grabbed onto his hand and was hoisted up to the attic. We peered around the dark and gloomy attic. My eyes were wide open, as if some unforeseen circumstance was about to arise. I expected something like hearing wailing screams or loud echoing footsteps or even seeing a ghost or two just like in all the horror movies, but that was the movies. This was real life, and it was just a plain attic. But for some reason, whether it be the cold air or the creaks of the wooden floorboards, the air on my neck stood up as I felt nervous, like someone was watching us our every move. You could see the minute dust particles dancing around the air in front of you. Dust covered the horizontal blinds that covered the latched window. The sunlight weaved its way through the blinds, illuminating the room every so slightly. The air smelled musty and damp. Being that the attic wasn't heated like the rest of the house, it was freezing from the cool December air.

"Where do we even start?" I asked, looking around at piles on top of piles of boxes and filing organizers. A broken lamp was across the room and so was a couch, covered with a white sheet. I walked over to the boxes laden with dust and tried opening one of them. A cloud of dust poofed in the air. I coughed, waving my hand around to disperse the dust.

"I guess over here." He looked in the box with me. It was piled high with papers, books, and envelopes filled with old photographs.

"So what are we looking for?" Danny asked, holding a pile of pictures in his hands. We both sat down on the ground.

"Family information. Parents, grandparents, stuff about you too."

"Well it doesn't look like we looked in the right place, this looks like all my baby stuff."

"Nope," I pulled out a picture from an open envelope, "here's a few pictures of your parents." I looked over the vintage picture of the happy couple. I couldn't see where Danny got his blue eyes from though—his moms were hazel and his dads were dark brown.

"They look happy." I said unknowingly.

"They were," he sighed, "they still are." I pulled out another picture. It was a little boy, not even two years old, with wispy dark hair and icy blue eyes.

"Is this you?"

"Yeah." His lips cracked a smile.

"You were adorable!" I chuckled.

"Still am." He smirked. With a smile playing on my lips, I rolled my eyes.

An hour or two passed, and we were on a whole other box. We were growing tired, and the sun was about to set soon. We had to hurry up before it got dark in here.

"This is useless." Danny laid down on the floor, his arm draping over his face.

"You can't give up now, let's finish this box and call it quits."

"No, we've been looking for hours. Nothings going to pop up."

"Fine. You can give up but I'm finishing this box."

"Whatever." He mumbled, lying still in the same position. The deeper I searched through the box, all that was found was more and more family pictures. Some were useful, others weren't. I stuck my hand back into the box and pulled out a picture frame. Dust covered the thick glass of the frame, making it impossible to see past it. Using my sleeve, I wiped off the dirt. Across the top was the words 'Birth Certificate' written in big letters. It was Danny's. And the first few words I saw, surprised me. Danny's parents were named Miranda and Paul, not Madeline and Jack.

"You never told me you were adopted." I skimmed at the paper, not having read it all. His arm lifted off his head and he sat up.

"What?" he looked a me, more confused than ever.

"Your last names Taylor, not," my eyes looked to the first line that said Daniel James…"Fenton?"

"Fenton? As in…" Danny shoved the box away and snatched the frame away from my hands and quickly read every word on the certificate.

"I never told you I was adopted, because," he paused, "no one ever told me." There was a pause of silence between us. My eyes grew.

"What do you mean no one ever told you? You've had to know." I took the frame from him.

"Oh my God." I whispered.

"The names."

"But, it can't be." I disagreed. The real parents names were written in script. Madeline Fenton and Jack Fenton were messily written across two lines.

"I'm their son? Then…who are the people I'm living with?"

"Danny? We're home!" A woman's voice called out and wafted up to the attic. We looked at each other in sheer shock, who were these people?


	37. Run Through

**A/N: So excited for the next chapter :] Eeeeep! Btw sorry for so many line breaks! **

_Chapter Thirty-Seven_

_Run Through_

_Chapter Song: Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer_

"I'm just excited for my ghost free holiday. Two weeks of sleeping late and Christmas presents." Danny said. We were sitting across from each other in a booth at a local burger joint. Elliot somehow dragged us here since his stomach was growling all of six and seventh period.

"You're lucky, my parents aren't even gonna be home for Christmas."

"Why?"

"They never got to take an actual honeymoon so this is kind of it. They're going on a ten-day cruise to Hawaii. No phone reception, no children, no worries."

"Feel free to come over my house, I doubt my parents are going to be there."

"Come on, it's one of the biggest holidays of the year, I'm sure they've got off."

"Last year they didn't. I spent it with Elliot, who celebrates Chanukah." A faint smile traced my lips as I shook my head in disappointment.

"Speaking of parents, have you talked to them yet?" Danny's lips formed a hard line and he looked down to the poorly polished fake wood table.

"No. They don't know I know. But curiosity's getting the better of me."

"It's getting the better of both of us. But, this just makes so much sense. You've got bright blue eyes—"

"And _they_ have hazel and brown, I know. Not even that. There are no baby pictures of me prior to one year old, or pictures of my mom pregnant. Nothing."

"You're going to have to ask them eventually."

"I'm going to have to talk to Maddie, or whatever her name is. My real fathers dead, my great ancestors had to deal with ghosts, and I've got a sister named Jazz who doesn't know I exist. Somethings going to have to happen."

"You can't talk to Maddie. She has something to do with Vlad, and he has something to do with trying to kill every ghost in town."

"You're right." He heavily sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His palm pressed against his forehead as he put his elbow on the tabletop.

"You _are_ going to have to tell Elliot though." He looked up to me.

"He's going to make a big deal of it."

"It is a big deal. He's known you longer me, he's known your parents—your adoptive parents. He'll be more hurt if you don't tell him."

"Fine, you're right."

"Right about what?" Elliot came over to the table with a tray filled with a burger, fries, and soda. How can he eat all that grease? Danny and I looked at each other.

"Nothing." We said at the same time. He became suspicious, but shrugged it off.

"So," Elliot sat down, "where was Alek today?" He stuffed a fry in his mouth.

"I don't know. I texted him second period and he answered me sixth saying he had family stuff to do."

"Sounds sketchy to me." Danny shrugged, stealing a fry from Elliot's tray. I hopelessly shrugged. Was it weird Alek never called to say he was missing school? Yes. Was his reply short, simple, and not to the point? Extremely. But I wasn't going to let it bother me.

"I don't know. Sure it's weird, but I'm not going to let it bother me, it's not that—" I paused as my phone began vibrating against the table. The screen flashed Jeremy's name across the screen. I slid the screen to answer.

"Hello?" The phone pressed to my ear.

"Alexa, get home. Now." Why was his voice so urgent?

"What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Just get home." He directed.

"Where are mom and dad?"

"Not here, it's not about them. Get home!" He hung up. I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at the dark screen. What just happened? Was this an emergency? What was going on at home?

"What?" Elliot asked through a mouth full of hamburger.

"I think I got to get home."

"What? Why?" Danny asked.

"There's something wrong with Jeremy, I don't know he didn't explain."

"This isn't another one of your lies to get out of something, is it?" Danny wondered with raised brows.

"No, I swear, " I scooted out of my booth and grabbed my bag, "sorry." I apologized. Before I took off, I mouthed a 'tell him' to Danny and he nodded his head.

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"Jeremy?" I yelled as I rushed inside the house, slamming the front door behind me.

"Jer?" I yelled. He came out of nowhere as I entered the living room. A large envelope was creased in his hand.

"What the hells going on?" I wondered. He stood still for a second and I looked at him like he was crazy. Did someone die? Then, he held out the large envelope in his hands. I could see a blue and white UCLA logo on the top. My eyes widened. This wasn't about someone dying or being injured, it was about his college admission. The expression on his face led me to understand he didn't get it. Until, a smile broke his hard face.

"I got in." He smiled. My perspective changed, a wide smile broaden my face.

"No way!" I squealed, running and jumping into join him in a hug.

"I didn't think I'd do it!" He laughed. I cut off the hug, and took the envelope out of his hand. Unfolding the flaps, I took out a crisp white paper.

"Dear Mr. Pennington, the University of California Los Angeles wants to formally congratulate you onto being accepted into the prestige university of UCLA!" I shrieked, "Jeremy, this is incredible! Do mom and dad know yet?"

"No, they went out to go get last minute stuff for the trip."

"Of course," I mumbled, "Jeremy, I'm so proud of you! Go call them."

"Nah, I'd rather tell them in person." He smiled, taking back the admission letter and sealing it into the envelope.

"In the mood for a celebratory coffee? I'll buy." I offered.

"That sounds perfect." He smirked. Jeremy put down the letter on a nearby table and we headed out. The cold December air hit us like a ton of bricks as we walked out the door. During our car ride, Jeremy's acceptance was all we could talk about. I couldn't believe he was going to be going back to California. He'd live in a dorm back near home. He'd get to see all his friends. I was happy for him. And more importantly, I couldn't wait to visit him. Once we parallel parked in a free spot, we headed into the nearest Starbucks.

"Tall skinny vanilla lattee, please." I ordered, handing the cashier a ten dollar bill. After I received my change, I handed the rest of the money to Jeremy.

"I'll go get us a table. Mind getting my drink?"

"Ok." He assured and then ordered his drink. I looked down to the phone in my palm, a message from Danny appearing on the screen. Is everything okay, the message said. As I walked out of the coffee shop, I bumped into someone.

"I'm sorr—" I looked up from my phone, and the woman did too. My eyes widened at the sight of the red headed woman with several shopping bags in her hands.

"Alexa?" She cocked her head.

"Yes?" I pretended not to know her. How ironic was this?

"Remember me?" She stuck out her hand as a gesture for me to shake it "Maddie Fenton? We met a few weeks ago."

"Oh," I stuttered, looking down to the hand that she soon pulled away, "right, of course."

"How are you, dear?"

"Fine, just waiting for my brother." I shrugged.

"Oh, well I bet you're excited. Winter breaks coming up soon, correct?" Why was Maddie making small talk with me?

"Yeah, one more week." Behind me, the door opened and out came Jeremy.

"Lex, I thought you were getting a table?" He wondered, holding the two hot drinks in his hands.

"Uh, yeah. Give me a second." He shrugged and went off to get a table.

"Anyways, I better get going."

"Alright." I nodded my head.

"You seem like a very nice girl, we need to have lunch one day." She suggested, then bent over to the table beside her and grabbed a napkin and a pen out of her purse.

"Thank you…" My voice was evidently suspicious. After writing down something, she handed me the white napkin.

"Here's my number, call me when you're free." She insisted and proceeded to walk away. That did not just happen. No, I had to be dreaming or something. It was to much of a coincidence. As I walked back to the table Jeremy had picked, I sent a quick text to Danny.

_You won't believe who I just ran in to._

"Who was that?" Jeremy asked as I sat down on the cold metal chair.

"Just someone I met at Vlad's party." I partially lied. I wasn't going to be the one to tell Jeremy that Danny was adopted. Or that Maddie was really Danny's mother, or even that she was Vlad's girlfriend. These things were better left unsaid. I looked at my drink, steam radiating out of the gap on the top.

"You ran into her?" Danny couldn't believe his ears.

"Yup. We walked into each other outside Starbucks." I informed for the second time today. I was still in shock myself. It was hard to believe how ironic it was to bump into her of all people. I was up half last night thinking about it, but I wasn't going to let Danny know that.

"Well? What'd she say?"

"That I seemed really nice and she wants to have lunch one day."

"What?" Danny exclaimed in shock, and stopped walking, "what did you say?"

"Nothing."

"What? Did words completely escape you?"

"I was a little to distracted by bumping into your real mother to ask any questions or insult her by saying no." I sighed, and then pulled out the napkin from my pocket.

"She also gave me this." I added, handing Danny the napkin with her number on it.

"Wow, she's serious about this. Are you going to do it?"

"Of course not."

"Maybe you should, you know, to get more information on her and…my family."

"No, no, no, no. That's going to be to obvious."

"It'll be fine. Just wait a little while; she won't know anything's up. It'll be—" Danny said, then I noticed Alek walking through the hallway.

"Alek!" I called. He stopped and turn to me. His lips formed a hard smile that didn't look sincere. Was he okay?

"Hey," I rushed up to him, "where were you yesterday? I called you like three times."

"I said I had family stuff, remember?"

"Yeah, but is everything okay?" Why was I feeling so nervous around him? My hands felt hot. Maybe he figured out I lied to get out of the dinner the other day.

"I'm fine." He shortly answered, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Okay…" I paused, "here, let's go to first period." I was about to grab his hand.

"Sorry," he pulled away, "I've got to go make up a test." He tossed the coffee cup in the trash beside the lockers. "See you later." I watched him disappear down the hall. My palms felt clammy, eyes felt weary.

"What just happened?" I asked Danny, completely stunned.

"Don't ask me, he's your boyfriend." He mocked. I shook my head, cracking myself out of the cloud of shock I was in. Whatever.

line break

"How long have you known?" Elliot asked me, referring to Danny's adoption.

"A few days. I found the paper." I notified.

"Still don't get this…and how you kept it from me." Elliot looked to Danny.

"Don't look at me, I still can't believe it."

"And to think that you were connected to the original Fenton, shocking."

"Okay, okay, I get it. Can we stop talking about it? The only thing I want to talk about is you," Danny pointed a finger at me, "talking to Maddie."

"Me? No."

"She asked you, not us."

"But I don't want to!" I whined.

"Come on, for me. I promised to be nice to—hey Alek!" Danny put on a fake smile.

"Hey, Lex' can I talk to you?" He wondered. Our eyes met and he nodded. I felt obligated to go. Without another word to Danny or Elliot, I silently got up from my seat and followed Alek out into the hallway.

"What's up?" I was toying the ring on my pointer finger.

"I just wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier. I was pretty stressed yesterday but, I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"It's fine, everyone has those days. What happened, are you okay?"

"I'm fine now." He sighed, grabbing my hand.

"You sure? Because you can talk about it you know."

"I know, but everything's okay now."

"Promise?" I asked, trying to be a good girlfriend. Alek smiled, looking down to the floor. He squeezed my hand and together, hand in hand, we walked back into the cafeteria. Ignoring the whispers of inquisitive students, we headed back to our table. Everything was okay, he never found out about me lying. Elliot and Danny were staring at us like something was wrong. Elliot leaned into Danny and whispered something in his ear, no doubt about me being okay with Alek.

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"It's whatever." Jenna said. Soft smacking sounds filled the receiver; she was probably chomping on a piece of chocolate. She did that when she was stressed.

"It'll be fine Jenna, don't stress."

"Thanks Alexa. I just need to stop eating. I'm gonna gain another ten pounds." She sighed.

"Listen Jenna, I gotta go. I'll call you later, okay?" I tapped my fingernails on the cold metal table.

"Sure, talk to you later." She hung up. Silently, I sighed. One more week, I chanted to myself like a mantra. Winter break was all I've been thinking about the past few weeks. School was stressing me out unbelievably. And _this_ didn't help, at all. What's _this_ you may ask? This was me currently sitting outside a local bistro waiting for Maddie Fenton to arrive. Somehow, after lunch, Danny convinced me to arrange something with Maddie, without her knowing. I didn't know exactly how this was going to work, at all. This had to be one of Elliot's dumbest plans yet. He called Maddie on a blocked number saying that the dry cleaners next door had something for Vlad and it'd be ready at four o'clock. Of course that was a lie, this was a set up to walk past me and sit down to chat. I covered my mouth with my sleeve.

"This is stupid." I whispered into the sleeve. Elliot and Danny, wherever they were, could hear me through a hearing device Elliot had stashed away in his room. The little dork was dying to use it, and he finally found his perfect situation to make use of it.

_No it's not!_ Elliot texted me.

"Yes it is, I feel like a loner." I mumbled. It was uncomfortable sitting here by myself. What if someone from school walked by and saw me sitting alone? They would think I was awkward and I liked sitting alone.

_Calm down, no ones gonna see you._ The next message read.

"Alexa?" Maddie. I looked up from my phone.

"Oh," act surprised, "hi." I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I just keep running into you, don't I?" She chuckled and pulled out the chair opposite to me. "Mind if I sit down?"

"No." I shook my head.

"So, what are you doing here?" She set her speedy handbag down on the pavement and the envelopes she was carrying in her hands on the table.

"Just waiting for a friend." I lied.

"Oh then I wont be to long." She assured.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned.

"Just dropping off some mail and picking up Vlad's dry cleaning."

"Why, he can't do it himself?" My brows rose.

"He's a very busy man." _Buzzz_, my phone vibrated against my leg.

_Stop giving her such an attitude. _

Shut up Elliot, I thought. Maddie sighed, tapping her fingers against her leg.

"Not trying to invasive or anything, but by any chance, are you related to a Jack Fenton?" This was going to turn awkward. Maddie's face grew hard. Her eyes were a mix of pain, sorrow, and wonder.

"Yes," she cleared her throat, "in fact, he was my husband." She pursed her lips.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I looked down to my shoes.

"Why do you ask?" Think of something, quick! Anything, what was there to say?

"When I moved here, I saw something about a Jack Fenton in the paper. I was just curious."  
"You are a very curious girl, aren't you? Jack was my husband, and he died from a fire in my home. That's when I left town with my daughter."

"Your daughter? Did you ever have any other children?" Come on, don't lie. This was the moment of truth, the moment Danny was waiting for.

"No," Damn it! "Only a daughter named Jazz, who's in college now."

"Oh," was that all I could say? "I'm sorry for you loss."

"That was the past. As much as I loved my husband, and still do, I must move on. It's what he would want, right?" She asked me.

"Right." My voice sounded unsure and shy.

"And speaking of moving on, let's change subjects." She reached down into her purse and pulled out a small white envelope.

"What do you know on this Danny Phantom?" My throat tightened.

"What?" My brows furrowed, "oh not you too." My eyes rolled, pretending to know nothing on the subject.

"I'm just curious. I know Vlad's been on top of the subject in the past."

"You know about that?" I was taken aback.

"Let's just say, I've heard some things." She smiled innocently.

"I found these lying around the office." She handed me the envelope. I opened it and found three pictures of Danny, in ghost form, with me. This was from a few days ago.

"What the hell?" I gasped, holding the three pictures out like a fan of cards in my hand, "where did he get these?" I looked up to her. She shrugged. If she didn't know she was seeing me today, why did she have these in her bag?

She had to be working with Vlad. I knew I shouldn't trust her. This was a bad idea.

"You know, these are from a long time ago." I lied.

"Are they?" She cocked her head.

"I told Vlad last week, I haven't talked to him in months." I put my phone behind the photos and texted Elliot:

_S.O.S, get me out of here. NOW. _

If they didn't listen, I'd kill them later for it. Maddie looked at me suspiciously.

"Why do you have these?" Her violet-grey eyes were like daggers.

"I told you, I found them."

"Hey! Alexa!" Elliot called, casually walking over with Danny.

"And some woman we don't know." Classic Elliot. Before standing up from my seat, I stuffed the photos in my bag and held the envelope in my hand. Maddie stood up too.

"Well this was a nice chat." She took the envelope from my hands as Danny and Elliot came by my side. Danny's stare on her was obvious; this was his first real encounter with his mother. Maddie caught the stare from him, and observed the boy. There was something oddly familiar about him. His black hair and striking blue eyes, they reminded her of Jack and Jazz in some ways. There was something particularly similar to his jaw line. She wondered who the boy was, and who the other boy next to him was, and how he knew me. But then again, she didn't really want to care. So she didn't.

As she creased the empty envelope back and forth in her hand, a suspicious look crossed her face. It looked as if she momentarily saw through our façade.

"I'll be seeing you around." She grabbed her purse from the floor. "Goodbye, Alexa. Goodbye friends." She walked away. I took Elliot's device from the neck of my shirt and placed it in his hand.

"I'm never doing that again." I swore.

"What just happened?"

"You heard everything. She lied about Danny but she didn't lie about Jack. But she was completely upfront about these." I handed them the pictures out of my bag.

"What? Where'd they get these?"

"She got them from Vlad. They were from a few days ago." I remember the situation very quickly. Danny and I were driving to Elliots when his ghost sense went off and we were hiding around a building because he thought he saw one in a store. To think of it, that was probably right around the area where City Hall is. And the photo looked like it was shot from high up. They were spying on us.

"We've got to lay low. All of us. No more interacting with Maddie. We've got to put this on hold." I told Danny.

"She's right, if we didn't find anything from her now we won't in the next few weeks." He sighed. Looking down to my phone, I looked at the time.

"Listen, I got to get home since my parents are leaving tomorrow morning. We've got a family dinner or something."

"Want me to drive you? You know to make sure nothing weird happens? I'll fly home after." Before Elliot could protest, someone honked at us from the street. As the passenger window of a white mini cooper rolled down, it revealed to be Elliot's dad.

"Perfect timing, I'll see you guys later." Elliot waved and ran to his dad's car.

"Come on, let's go. I'll drive." I started walking to my car down the street.


	38. She Will Be Loved

**A/N: So I lied, I wanted to get a few more things in before a certain chapter that was supposed to be this one! But this chapter is majorly important! P.S just noticed I got over 100 reviews, THANK YOU :D **

_Chapter Thirty-Eight_

_She Will Be Loved_

_Chapter Song: This Is How A Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas / She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5_

"Of course she's going to lie, Danny. She doesn't know me. It was our first legitimate sit down talk, she wasn't going to open up and say 'oh yeah, I had another kid but I gave him up for adoption'. She's not gonna open up that quickly." I told him truthfully. I knew we'd get nothing out of that talk. But we technically did get something since the pictures were resting in Danny's hands right now.

"Whatever. I don't know. I can't focus on that right now, there's so much more things going on." Danny sighed.

"Like what?"

"There have been really weird things going on."

"And again I ask, like what?"

"Store alarms going off and the windows breaking but security tapes show nothing, really weird ghost attacks and stuff like that."

"Why haven't I heard about this?" I wondered.

"Because you've been a little busy with…"

"Alek?"

"Thank you."

"That was a question not an answer." I rolled my eyes.

"Well now you know. It's not that—" Danny felt the telltale tingle of his ghost breath and tensed immediately.

"Here we go again." He mumbled.

"Alright, two in one day! Let's see how many more will pop up, maybe we'll hit a record." I said optimistically, pulling my car over to the side of the road. Danny put the pictures down on the dashboard as the car shifted into park beside a rusty broken parking meter. This had to be a more secluded part of town, of course there were ghosts lurking around here. The streets were eerily empty, which made this even creepier that it was. I came around the car, to Danny's head craned up, staring at the tops of the apartment buildings.

"Go home." He simply said. I looked at him like he was crazy.

"No." I spat back, my nose wrinkling up. Danny walked to the right and soon stopped in his place. His ghost sense went off again.

"An apartment building?" He asked.

"A really rundown apartment building." I corrected. The red brick building looked worn out. The windows were dirty and dusty. Some were broken. The entrance to the building was on the side in some alley, how creepy could this get? We walked to the alleyway, passing under a gate arch that happened to be missing the gate doors. A lantern hung from the middle of the steel arch. Danny's ghost sense went off again, but we kept walking. Maybe this was just some trick by Vlad or Maddie, getting us together to see if it was Danny who was the ghost boy. Behind us, the lantern creaked and echoed off the alley walls. Both of us turned around, Danny closer to the lamp than I was. It was swinging as if the wind was blowing, but at the moment, there wasn't any breeze. Then all of the sudden, it dropped. Leaning forward, I grabbed Danny by the back of his shirt and pulled him backwards. The lamp hit the ground and shattered, glass sprinkling the ground where Danny had been standing. We looked at each other, fashioning wide eyes and he pulled me towards the entrance of the hotel. We barged in the front doors and we were greeted to a dirty, basically empty lobby. The air smelled musty with the slight left over smell of cigarettes. The overhead lights were dim and the floors were meant to look like tile, but they were really linoleum. The lobby wasn't so much a lobby, it was the center of an intersection for three hallways. There was one to both my left and right and there was one directly in front of us. Against the wall between the hallway on the left and the one in front of us was an old wooden table with a cheap ceramic vase filled with dying flowers. A pack of Marlboro's sat open at the end of the table. Someone must have forgotten them.

"Going g—" Danny began.

"No," I stopped him with my hand, "what if this is some plan from—"

"Shh" Danny whispered suddenly, pressing his finger to his lips and pointing towards the hallway to the right of him. I was expecting to have a ghost pop out, but nothing happened except a locking noise from behind us. We swung around to notice the locking noise coming from the door. I took a step forward and pressed down on the push bars of the doors. The doors didn't budge.

"What?" I pushed the doors with all my might just for the result of nothing. Even Danny tried shoving the door open. He was stronger than me and he couldn't get it.

"Do you think there's more than one?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, but we're gonna find out." He assured, we both turned around ready to find another exit.

"You've got to be kidding me." The words came out in a shocking breath.

"Oh crap…" said Danny blankly, staring at the hallway in front of us. Five people around Danny's height were standing with their hands in their pockets. They wore all black, and their faces were veiled by black hoodies. We turned around to try to get out the doors again but two more black hooded figures were standing out there. We turned back around, holding our breath fearing the inevitable.

"Good luck." I sarcastically hoped for him.

"Yeah, no…" he began, "there's way to many."

"We're so dead." I gulped as the hooded figures took a step forward.

"I go right, you go left?" He suggested. After dealing with these ghost attacks for so many months now, we learned to split up during a ghost attack.

"I'll find you eventually." I agreed and we split up. Danny ran into the right hallway and I ran into the left. As we took off, I could hear the front doors swing open. Quickly, as I ran down the hallway, I turned my head around to see how many were following me. There were three, and that had to mean four were following Danny. I didn't do anything, why were they following me? And who were these ghost-people who were following us? If I could see their faces it'd help a lot, but of course I couldn't. I turned right as the hallway came to a stop. My locket slapped against my skin as I ran. My legs pushed faster, trying to lose the three ghosts. Another hallway connected to the one I was running down now, I looked behind me to not see the ghosts. Perfect, I turned down the hallway, and kept running. Sure running wasn't my best ability, but I had gotten better at it since I met Danny. Way better at it. At the end of the hallway there were rusty gold-painted mailboxes built into the wall. Above them was the word 'Directory' but it was missing the e and the o. I slipped to the left and began running down that hallway, which lead to another and another. But somehow, I eventually ran into Danny. There weren't any ghosts behind him. We stopped in our tracks.

"Lose them?"

"Not even close, where are they?" I wondered, turning over my shoulder to see the coast was clear.

"There." His eyes widened, staring at the hallway ahead of us. They found us, again. It was bound to happen. They were standing there, still as a statue, until they began running towards us at full speed.

"Go, go, go!" I demanded, pushing him forward. Our feet slid on the floor as we started running, almost tripping ourselves.

"You know, now would be a great time to go ghost!"

"You think I haven't thought of that? There's such thing as security camera's around here." He informed.

"Well they sure aren't worried about camera's!"

"Because no one can see their faces." Danny spat, "find a way out of here." He demanded.

"If we live through this, remind me to thank you." I smirked before pushing open the door that said 'stairs' and disappeared behind the door, leaving Danny to himself in the hallway. I wanted to stop for a second to catch my breath, but I didn't. The stairwell smelled even worse then the apartment lobby. The stench of mildew and cigarettes was overcoming, and the dampness of the air sent a chill down my spine. The poorly lit lights gave off a yellow glow. God, I'd do anything to stop running and get out of here. I had to pretend that I wasn't running away from a ghost, I was running on my normal morning runs. That was what I was pretending to do—I was on my morning runs. Not being chased by ghosts.

Yeah, there was no way to convince myself.

Running up the five flights of stairs was killer on my legs. My lungs burned and I could barely breathe. But, it was still better than being caught. Ever so often I'd look over the rusty banister and still see myself no being chased, but then again the ghosts could be invisible. That's what they did best. Finally I reached the top and the first thing I saw was the bright red exit sign hanging above the door that read 'roof-top, officials only' on it. I burst through the door and slowed down, catching my breath. The cold air hit me and I took it in warmly. The fresh air felt so good coming into my lungs. The rooftop was different than I imagined. There was a fabulous view of a thirty-mile radius of the city. But, that was the only good thing about the place. There were mini sheds covered with rotten wood and large triangular glass objects covered with mildew and dirt. My head craned around to look at everything; this place was a dump. It was the perfect place for some creepy guy to jump out and get out. Then, I heard footsteps pattering on the ground behind me. My head twisted around to see one hooded ghost looking around for me. Then his head turned to the left and he spotted me. His pace quickened, and so did mine. And when I thought the only exit was the way I came in, I found the fire escape. The metal stairs looked like they could collapse at any second, but I dealt with the risk. The stairs were steady, but I could hear the metal shaking beneath my feet. And the stairs shook even more when the ghost took his first steps onto it. I darted my way down the stairs and climbed onto a ladder. Looking down, my hands began shaking. Being high above the ground terrified me. I wasn't even that far off the ground, but it scared me. The ladder screeched and creaked with each step down I took.

_Please don't break, please don't break! _

I slowly climbed down the ladder until it ended. What was I going to do now? My eyes stared at the ground like it was a death trap, though I was only ten or twelve feet above. Half my mind screamed to jump, but the other half was desperately yelling for me to climb back up. But instead, I jumped. It was like an adrenaline rush hit me. I landed in a crouched position and then I tumbled over onto the cement. Scurrying up from the ground, I was prepared to run into the street where it was probably more populated than an alley. But, once I stood up and my head lifted, I observed the ghost appear out of thin air.

"Of course," I mumbled, "come on, go after Danny, I didn't do anything." I yelled to the ghost. Through the darkness of the hoodie that blinded the ghosts face, I could see a smirk lift its lips. But that was it. Then the ghost began running after me. I turned around to see that the alley kept going and eventually turned left. From there I could only hope that there was an exit, so I went with it. The alley wrapped around the back of the apartment building and then through the other side. I could hear the footsteps of the ghost behind me, the soles of it's shoes beating against the pavement rung in my ears. As I turned around the corner to the other side of the building, an intangible Danny Phantom flew through the walls and tumbled to the floor, hitting a bunch of metal garbage cans and a wire fence. I stopped in my place, my boots scuffed on the ground, emitting a screeching noise. Rushing over to Danny, I reached my hand down to help him up. His white gloves covered hand grabbed onto mine, and he stood up. Then he turned back into his human self.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"It was—" I turned around, throwing a thumb over my back to point to the ghost following me, but the problem was, I was pointing to an empty alley. I looked back to Danny, both of us fashioning furrowed brows. Danny opened his mouth to speak, but instead, we heard the racket of a car alarm blaring. But the sound was too familiar—it was my car alarm. We began racing towards the sound, it got louder and louder as we grew closer. Then we reached the car, and our jaws dropped. I pulled my keys out of my pocket and pressed my thumb down on the button to cancel the alarm. Only the trunk was open, but that's what didn't scare us. Spread across the trunk floor were the pictures of Danny and I, but they were cut in half—Danny on one part of the picture and me on the other. Danny's half of the picture was ripped up into several different pieces, so the half that had a picture of me was still intact.

"Someone _really_ doesn't like you." I broke the silence, picking up multiple pieces of Danny's picture.

**line break**

Danny insisted on coming home with me, and apparently walking me to my door.

"See you tomorrow. Say bye to your parents from me." He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Throw out the pictures." I urged, handing him the scraps of paper from my bag. He nodded, taking them into his hand. He threw them off the porch and they all landed on the grass. Then, he changed himself into his ghost form.

"What are you doing, people are gonna see you." I hissed. A glowing green ball of energy emitted from his palm and blasted to the ground, burning the remains of the pictures. The fire went out and there was a black residue on the lawn.

"You scorched the grass." I said in amazement.

"Sorry." I laughed in amazement and shook my head.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I unlocked the door and walked inside. The savory sent of steak and roasted garlic entered my nose.

"You're late." Jeremy smirked, standing in the kitchen tapping away on his phone.

"Sorry, we ran into a little _problem_." Jeremy got what I was saying. My parents? Not so much.

"Problem? Like what?" Shylee asked, piling steaks onto a large ceramic plate.

"The car wouldn't start." I lied, eyeing Jeremy.

"Well it is due for a check up. We'll call the dealership so you can drop it off tomorrow." My dad sat down at the table with a plate filled with food.

"If you're taking the car to the airport, how do you suppose I get back home?"

"Have one of your friends drop you off, I'm sure someone will be willing to do it."

**line break**

**line break**

**line break**

The final school bell rang and I walked out of Chemistry with Danny. Alek skipped school again, and he wouldn't answer his phone when I called him at lunch. It was angering me how missing in action he's been the past few days, but maybe he had a lot going on. But I still wanted to know what was going on. He was my boyfriend; I deserved to be in on something.

"One week from exactly right now, we'll be on winter break." Danny said, but I barely heard him. I slid my phone out of my cardigan pocket and checked its blank screen. Still nothing from Alek.

"Alexa?" He tried getting my attention.

"Huh? Oh, right, yeah, can't wait." Disappointed, I slid my phone into my jean pocket.

"You've seemed kind of distant today."

"I'm fine." I'm concerned.

"Is this—"

"Successfully passed my math test!" Elliot jumped in with us, waving a paper with an 'A-' written on the top in blue ink in our faces.

"I thought you said you thought you failed?" Danny grabbed the paper from him.

"Failing to Elliot means getting a B." My eyes rolled.

"True." Danny agreed, his head bobbing up and down in a nod.

"Hey, you're making me sound like some grade obsessed nerd!" An offended Elliot cried. Danny and I both looked at him with raised brows.

"Whatever." He mumbled.

"Hey, Alexa," Jenna came up to us, causing us all to stop walking, "you ready?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"I just have to go get stuff from my locker." She informed, tucking a piece of her dark strawberry blonde hair, which looked more ginger today, behind her ear.

"Fine, I'll meet you at your car." I pursed my lips. Jenna faired a temporary farewell and quickly walked off.

"What was that about?" Danny wondered.

"Jenna's supposed to take me home."

"Uh, no. Not from what happened last time." He disagreed.

"She's fine now."

"Yeah she was fine before too but then you almost ended up being driven over a bridge." Danny needed to stop being so over protective, but I wasn't in a mood to tell him that.

"Jeremy's taking my car to the dealership so I have no way of getting home then."

"Well, isn't it a good thing I have a car then." He smirked.

"You can drive me everywhere, I have to have a life eventually. Someone's after you, not me."

"And thankfully not me," Elliot giggled, "hey, did you ever get ahold of Alek?" he asked.

"No," I let out a big sigh, "nothing."

"You sound frustrated." Elliot observed as we pushed open the doors to the schools front door. I shivered as the cold windy air hit us.

"Why would I be? I can't get a hold of my boyfriend and his presence has been lacking majorly, not to mention him being out of the loop the past few days." I sarcastically said. Then I admitted, "I just want to know what's going on." My eyes fell upon a figure, dressed in a short-sleeved black V-neck, black jacket, and jeans. His hands were stuffed into his jean pockets, and his face was hard until we locked eyes. He smirked. He had been waiting for me. Danny, Elliot, and I stopped dead facing Alek halfway across the parking lot.

"Hold this." I mindlessly said to Elliot, sliding my backpack off my shoulder and carelessly handing it to him. He struggled to catch it since he wasn't expecting to hold the bag. I rushed down the stairs and walked over to him, hiding away my frustration.

"You're a little late." I sarcastically greeted. He silently laughed, looking down to the ground, "where were you? I called you about a million times." I could see Danny and Elliot from where I was standing; both had fatherly expressions plastered to their faces. They were confused as why he was here. At least they were out of hearing range.

"I'm sorry." He simply apologized.

"If there's something going on, you can tell me."

"I know. I'm sorry." He said again. Again. I didn't want any apologizes, I wanted to know what was going on.

"Alek, what's going on? We were supposed to meet up yesterday morning, you never showed, then you don't come to school, and today you were gone too. Why are you disappearing?" I played off my anger with a quiet laugh and slight smile.

"I'm so sorry, I'll be able to make it up to you because I love you," he paused, "and I don't want us to fight with each other or me to be acting so secretive or out of it. I'm sorry." His freezing hand grabbed mine. It took about ten seconds for Alek's words to sink in. Then, all of the sudden, I felt like couldn't breathe. I felt nervous; my brain wasn't able to process my thoughts. My jeans felt too tight and my boots felt like they were constricting my feet. My body temperature must have risen five degrees, the blood flooding to my cheeks. The eggplant colored long sleeved shirt and leather jacket I had on made me feel like I was being suffocated with heat—though it was in the high forties outside.

"I'm sorry." How many times did he say that today? "Say something, before I throw up." He laughed. I opened my mouth to speak, but instead Alek spoke for me.

"I wasn't gonna tell you like that, and now—ugh!" He groaned, "I'm s—"

"Sorry, I know. Stop apologizing." I gave him a soft grin. He looked down to the ground and smiled shyly.

"Thank you."

"Come over later? My parents are out of town so it's just Jer and me and he's ordering take out since we're both insufficient of cooking skills."

"Hey Alek!" Jenna popped up out of nowhere, making my heart jump even more than it was from what Alek told me.

"Jenna." He smiled warmly.

"Alexa, ready to go?" She turned to me.

"Danny's actually taking me home since he needs to pick up some stuff," I lied, "sorry."

"It's fine. See you Monday?" She asked.

"If you're done early tomorrow call me and we'll meet up." I told her. She nodded her head in agreement and turned to Alek. Her eyes locked on him and she oddly looked intently at him. Alek's brows pushed together, watching her gaze. Her pouty lips parted, as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't. Jenna was studying him as if she was in a trance, but then she shook it off.

"I'll see you guys later!" She smiled, waggling her fingers as she walked off. Our eyes followed her as she walked to her car, disappearing behind a line of cars.

"Do you…" Alek point back to her. I raised my hand to stop him from talking, shaking my head in the process.

"I don't even know anymore." I sighed.

"Listen, I've got to go see Mr. Heneley about some papers. I'll see you tonight" He leaned in and our lips pressed together, then after to soon, they split.

"Love you." He said softly and he walked away, breaking the connection between our hands. He walked away and I was left with a smile lifting up my lips. I turned around to see Alek passing Danny and Elliot, who were now standing at the base of the stairs.

"What's going on guys?" he greeted.

"Dude, where were you today?" Elliot wondered.

"Out." Alek simply answered.

"Really." Danny mumbled blankly.

"I've got to go see Heneley on some missing papers, see you later."

"Take it easy man, we'll see you later." Elliot waved to his friend as he vanished into the school building. After I stood in my place, completely still from shock, I shook myself out of it and walked over to Danny and Elliot like nothing was wrong. No, why would something be wrong? My boyfriend just admitted he was in love with me, that wasn't anything to freak over. Now, why couldn't I figure out if I felt the same way?

"What was that about?" Danny asked.

"Uh, nothing." I pursed my lips, trying to get rid of this terrible conflict in my head.

"Liar." glared, Elliot. I looked at him with daggers in my eyes.

"Okay so clearly since we know you're lying, you either broke up or he just said something to upset you." They knew me to easily, they understood my happy face from my troubled look.

"Well wouldn't you just love to know? He's my boyfriend, not yours." I smirked. Wow, where'd that come from?

"Oh, she's good." Elliot commented, laughing. I quietly snickered, but Danny didn't think it was so funny.

"Seriously, what happened? We're you're best friends, you can tell us."

"Hey, Elliot, I forgot my History book in your locker. Can you some with me to get it?" I lied, trying to get myself and him separated from Danny.

"History book? You didn't—"

"Let's go." I hissed, grabbing his wrist. He stumbled as I pulled him into the school.

"It's fine, I'll wait here!" Danny helplessly called, the door shut behind us. At least the hallways were empty, school usually cleared out this fast.

"What are you doing, there's no history book in my locker!" Elliot and I stopped walking.

"I know." I answered.

"Then what's going on?" He looked at his watch. I looked behind me to make sure no one was there.

"Alek just told me he loved me." I blurted out. Elliot's eyes widened. He opened his mouth, but what came out wasn't what I expected him to say.

"Danny!" He yelled, beginning to run to the front doors.

"No!" I scrambled and grabbed him by his shirt, covering his mouth with my hand.

"Elliot, no," I uncovered my hand and let it fall to my side, "you can't tell Danny." I decided.

"Why?"

"Because…" there was paused, "because I said so!" I barked.

"You sound like my mom, that's not an excuse." Elliot rolled his eyes.

"Fine. He hates Alek, I know that, you know that. Even Alek knows that! Promise me you won't tell him." Elliot was quiet for a minute after he reluctantly nodded.

"What do you think about this?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you feel about him saying that he loved you?"

"I don't know…" I shrugged, running a hand through my hair.

"Do you feel the same way?" Elliot finally had to ask. My gaze on him dropped and fell to the floor until I felt confident enough to answer.

"Maybe." I shook my head, I really didn't know at this point. My mind was still freaking out over that the words 'I love you' came out of his mouth.

**line break**

**line break**

DANNY'S POV:

"Well, Officer Protective, here we are." Alexa stated, fiddling with the keys to open the front door. I insisted on driving her home and again, walking her to the front door since there was something out there that attacked both of us yesterday.

"See you Sunday." I waved, then remembered something.

"Shoot." I mumbled. She looked up after the door was unlocked and open.

"What?"

"There's this family business lunch with my _dad_ at eleven or something. I should be done by two or three, we'll hang out then, okay?" Some family lunch this was, my parents weren't actually my parents.

"That's fine. See you Sunday." Something was going on with her, I could tell. Most of the car ride I was talking and she wouldn't answer, she'd continue on staring out the window. Clearly it was something Alek did, but then again all day she was acting all weird. Probably because of Alek not being there, I wasn't dumb I could notice these things. Alexa went into her house and shut the door behind her. Jeremy wasn't home and neither were her parents, so why wouldn't she invite me to stay? Something was definitely going on. It wasn't my business, but then again when was it ever my business? Prying was my thing. But for now, I had to get my car home and then I could do what I did best—spying. So I drove home, my mind wondering what was going on and thinking about those ghosts yesterday. We were never able to see their faces; those stupid hoodies covered every facial feature. Pulling into my driveway, I turned off the engine and slammed my door shut behind me. My backpack slung over my bag.

"Danny!" Elliot? What was he doing here?

"Danny, wait!" Elliot came running up the sidewalk; sweat dripping down his forehead. He stopped when he came up to me, bending down and putting his hands on his knees so he could catch his breath.

"What are you doing here?"

"Alek," he breathed, "told, Alexa," He stood up, wiping his forehead with his jacket sleeve, "he loves her." He finally caught his breath.

"She asked me not to tell you, so you know nothing!" So that's what they were talking about after all. And that's what had Alexa acting so strange.


	39. If The Ring Fits

A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for late update, trying to write all my stories before I leave for camp in a week. Enjoy this chapter :] Please review! I need reviews to fuel my writing! Lol but anyways, if you like the show Teen Wolf, I wrote a new story for it so read it if you like :] Lots of Love! – Elena

_Chapter Thirty-Nine:_

_If The Ring Fits_

_Chapter Song: 1864 by Michael Suby_

Sitting up in my room, I was flipping through pages of the Fenton Journal. Never have I realized how many pages this diary actually held. It was worth reading. The information stuffed between the two leather covers kept me wanting more. I usually wouldn't be sitting in my room nose deep in a journal regarding ghosts, but my mind needed to be distracted by something. My thoughts have been running non-stop since I talked to Alek yesterday, resulting in only four hours of sleep last night. He did come over late yesterday, but things were unfortunately uneventful since Jeremy arrived home before Alek arrived. And Alek only stayed for a few hours, he left mysteriously acting slightly strange. His parents probably texted him to get home or something, at least, that's what I thought.

"_I'm sorry if I made you scared with what I said earlier." Alek had apologized, pulling stray pieces of hair back to see me better. We were sitting on the couch, and I was lying against Alek's shoulder._

"_You said I love you, not I want to kill you. It's anything but scary. It's…nice." I admitted. He had leaned in, kissing me on the lips multiple times._

"_Don't feel pressured to say absolutely anything back, I want you to feel comfortable with this. I just wanted you to know, maybe not telling you that way, but I did." He smiled, and so did I. My hand reached up and I cupped his cheek, pushing his head down so his lips met mine again._

"_It was fine." I assured sternly after we broke apart._

The main thought that consumed me was _why would someone like Alek like me_? I was, well, me: the shy Plane Jane with dull as dish water, normal brown hair and the way to common brown eyes. I have never been popular, and I don't have a desire to be. All that meant to me was hanging with the 'right' crowd and getting drunk every Friday night. I was sort of a geek in that aspect, going to parties wasn't the top thing on my agenda. I was extremely insecure of how I looked, though many could disagree with me that I had a reason to be. _Alexa Pennington_ wasn't' anything special, she was your everyday back-of-the-class teenage girl. Alek, on the other hand, could be the complete opposite. His eyes were the perfect combination of blue and grey, with a hint of green in them. You could get lost when you looked into them for to long. His hair was a change from the dominating brunette color of the school; he was blonde with very light brown under toning highlights. It was perfect. Alek could be popular if he wanted to, there was no doubt he was gorgeous—model material was dared to be considered. The boys in school wanted to be him, and the girls in school wanted to be with him, or they wanted to be _me_ at this point. I was never the one for people to be jealous of. Alek could have a girl like Megan Fox if he wanted to, he could have anyone he wanted. But somehow he chose _me_.

As for me this was all so hard to take in. But the more I looked into it, I still never got why I was so special in Alek's mind. There was no reason in my right mind I should have been obsessing over this, I should be enjoying that someone loved me. All I needed was to love him back. Maybe I did? What if I didn't? Sure loving someone wouldn't be this hard!

_Sigh._

I turned the page of the journal, the picture of smiling Anna staring right at me. _Next page_, I flipped a few pages. I got up to an entry where Thomas-James wrote about how Anna was able to revive herself after being severely hurt to the brinks of death by hunters. _How did Anna die, and at what point will this journal tell me when, _I thought. Maybe Anna didn't even die. She was a ghost. Ghosts lived forever, right? I flipped a couple pages forward to find a small leather pouch sewn into the parchment page. There was something inside it. I could feel the object through the pouch. I held down the paper and easily ripped out the small bag. After untying the rawhide that kept it closed, I set it aside on my bed. The The pouch smelled like musty, old leather—just like the antique shop I visited in Corona with my friend Rosie once. In the bottom of the pouch, was something sparkly and metal. I reached for it, and it revealed itself to be an antique ring. It was silver and in the middle sat a small sapphire stone that seemed to captivate me. The sides of the ring were wrapped in an abstract floral design. For some reason, I felt obligated to try it on. It was tempting me, and so I mindlessly did. The cold ring slid against my finger and I felt a rush of adrenaline come over me. There was a part of me that expected something magical or supernatural to happen, for fireworks to go off outside—but nothing out of the ordinary happened—except it fit. The ring fit me, wasn't this Anna's ring? As I looked down to skim the page once more, a honk emitted from outside the house. I slammed the book shut and scurried to hide the book in its famous hiding spot: in the bottom drawer of my dresser underneath all my shirts. It was yet to be found by anyone in my house, so I figured it'd be safe there. I walked over to my window and saw Jenna waving from her car beside the driveway.

"Hey!" She yelled loudly. I waved to her and rushed to grab my bag and phone only to head downstairs.

"Bye Jer." I blankly said, only to find him fast asleep on the couch, his arm dragging on the floor. The TV was blaring the latest news from the latest football team, but I didn't bother turning it off. Who could blame Jeremy, he was stuck, stranded in the house since our car was in the shop thanks to me.

"Hey." I said a minute later, throwing my bag onto the floor of Jenna's car and sitting myself in the black leather seat._ If Danny knew you were with her right now, he'd kill you, _my mind ranted.

"Thank god I got out of that stupid little luncheon." She drove off.

* * *

I felt so underdressed next to Jenna. As usual, she looked fabulous. Her long sleeved V-neck hugged her thin body tightly as did her pleated blue plaid skirt. Her dark sheer stockings went all the way down and into her black-heeled booties. She looked fabulous, and I looked homely in my long sleeved shirt, leather jacket, jeans, and boots. God I needed to stop judging myself so harshly! Ever since Alek said _those_ words to me, I've been judging every single thought and action I did.

"God I love this weather. It gives me an excuse to curl my hair, it'll actually stay." She played with one of her bouncy curls. She took a sip of her skinny vanilla latte and placed it back on the metal table.

"I never got this back home, the lowest it got was the seventies." I could see my breath in front of me as I spoke.

"Don't you just love it here?" She sat backing her seat, enjoying the cold weather.

"Yeah." My voice was distant, my eyes focused beyond Jenna, I kept continuing to people watch.

"Okay, what's going on with you today? You seem off." Wow, it's that obvious?

"Yes." She laughed. Oh my God, I just said that out loud. Maybe I was this off because of the little sleep, or maybe it was because I couldn't stop thinking about Alek. He's all I thought about for the past twenty four hours.

"Alek said something, and I don't really know what to think of it." I cupped my hands around my coffee cup, the heat radiating from the cup to my jittery hands.

"What did he want to have—"

"No," I stopped her before she got any further. I sighed loudly, not wanting to tell Jenna this, "he said…he was in love with me." Jenna was an expert at relationships; maybe she knew what to do. Telling her wasn't that bad. But wait…there wasn't anything to do. You either love him or you don't. Jenna's jaw dropped in shock.

"What?" She shrieked, causing a few heads of bystanders to turn towards us. Her mouth began forming all these words but nothing was coming out.

"Shhh!" Calming her down wasn't easy, "right before you came, in the parking lot, he said _it_."

"You didn't say _it_ back, did you?" She noticed. I shook my head, pursing my lips together forming a thin line. "You can't string him along, if you're not into it anymore, than just tell him." She suggested.

"It's not that, I am. I can't tell if I do or not. It's so soon, and I've never been in a serious relationship before. I suck at these things!"

"So you're not saying you don't love him but you're not saying you do either."

"Exactly, I'm so conflicted." I sighed.

"Do you know how many girls currently envy you?" She laughed, "Basically every girl in school wants to be you. Including Paulina, whose relationship with Dash is supposed to be at its finest." She smiled, rolling her eyes with the shake of her head.

"Jenna, I'm serious"

"Okay, I'd be the first one to admit it's kind of weird falling in love with someone after a month and a half. But then again, there's love t first sight. So maybe he just fell in love with you when he saw you. If he really does love you though, he won't need you to say it back immediately. I know this through Nick." She sadly ended. I let out a breath through my nose and closed my eyes briefly.

"He already said that." Jenna smiled.

"I already know you'll be in love with him. I mean, how can you not be?"

"I didn't say I wasn't!"

"But you will be," Jenna corrected, "what's wrong with him?"

"Nothing, he's basically a perfect boyfriend minus the few conflicts he's had with Danny."

"Oh my god, Danny!" She gasped, catching more attention, "does he know?"

"Elliot promised not to tell him."

"Ew you told Elliot?" I nodded. "Did you enforce that?"

"Maybe." I shrugged. Guilty.

"Why don't you want him knowing?" God, she sounded like Elliot now.

"You and Elliot really should be a couple, you're asking the same exact questions." I smirked, Jenna becoming irritated.

"First of all, off topic. Second of all, _eww_!" That got a laugh out of me.

"Okay, I just don't want Danny knowing. He doesn't like Alek."

"Are you sure you're not doing it because you don't want to hurt him…or you?"

"No." I defended.

"Alexa…"

"Jenna, I promise you. It's for his own good since he hates Alek."

"Whatever." She mumbled and took a sip of her coffee.

"You know, I just don't get it, and I've been thinking about it nonstop for the past day. Alek and I don't know much about each other."

"You know where he's from, he knows where you're from, and you know each others birthday, right?" I nodded. "Then what's more to know?"

"I don't know," I sighed frustratedly, "I've never been to his house, I've never met his parents, I feel like all I know is the little that he tells me."

"Do your parents know him?"

"No." I shyly admitted.

"There you go!" Jenna threw her hands forward, "if you're implying that you know nothing about him, you're wrong." My mind was thwarted.

"This is getting no where." I declared, getting up from the table to signal Jenna it was time to leave.

Jenna's car sped through a pool of leaves, sending the foliage into the air and slowly falling back to the ground. I sat looking out the window while we listened to the radio, which happened to be playing a sad love song. That was it, I couldn't listen to it anymore. My fingers lingered up to the buttons and I quickly switched to another station. Jenna looked at me, annoyed for cancelling her silent jamming session

"Sorry, I can't take any love songs today."

"Understandable." She nodded, allowing me to proceed to flip through the radio stations.

"Ooh, turn it up, I like this one!" Jenna freaked, taking control, she turned the volume dial up four more notches.

"She followed him and he said what you lookin' for? She said I want something that I want! Something that I tell myself!" She shook her shoulders as she continued to sing. "I need everything, I see something that I want, something that I tell myself I need. I need everything I see." Jenna shouted the words to the song blasting on the radio. I looked at her with a mixture of feelings but I burst out laughing at her so-called singing. Her thumbs tapped along the steering wheel to the beat of the song.

"Come on, sing!" She put a hand on me, shaking my shoulder.

"I don't sing." I disagree, hoping she would just drive. I wasn't exactly in the mood for this.

"Have a little fun," she paused, proceeded to lip sing the next few lines. I looked to her like she was crazy, but all we could do was continue to crack up laughing. This was good to get my mind off my boy problems. It somehow reminded me of the times Jeremy would drive me and my friends back home around when he first got his license and we used to shout out the words to the latest Maroon 5 or Drake Bell song that was popular on the radio at the time years ago. Was I admitted to myself that this was fun?

"We need to do this more often." Jenna admitted, her head bobbing up and down.

"I like the idea of a girls day."

"You know, I've always wanted to be a singer, but unfortunately that dream can't come true since I sound like a dying cat." She chuckled.

"Same, ever since I was little. But, I think that's every seven year olds dream."

"When I was twelve, and the first High School Musical came out, I used to stand on my bed and sing along with it until my parents forced the TV off," she paused, "oh my God I never told anyone that before."

"And I thought I was the only one. The embarrassing things of my younger years have been burnt and hidden away in my mind. Your secrets safe with me."

"Embarrassing things when you were younger? Ooh, I've got to hear this." She marveled.

"Uh, no. Those things are in the past, they no longer exist."

"Hey, when I was like ten I used to pretend to be a mermaid whenever I was in the pool." Giggled, Jenna.

"Ah, the more we have in common." As time went on, two more songs passed, causing Jenna and I to talk about things we did when we were younger. As I looked out the window, I watched the half bare trees blur past us as we drove on the straight road between to forests on the way back to my house.

"And then once when—" Jenna began telling another story. I kept on listening until I saw a figure in a black hoodie on the side of the road. Jenna was going to fast that she must have not seen it, or she didn't think anything of it. My head snapped around to look out the back window, but nothing was there.

"Did you just see that?" I interrupted, frantically looking to her.

"See what?" Of course she didn't.

"There was a person on the side of the road." Jenna's perfectly manicured brows pushed together, looking at me strangely.

"Alexa, there was no one back there," a reluctant half smile spread across her face, "wow, this whole 'I love you' thing is making you see things." She laughed off. There was no way I was imagining this, it was the hooded ghost from the apartment building a few days ago! It had to be!

"Wow, maybe I am going crazy." I fussed, running my fingers through my hair.

"Whoa, nice ring. Alek get that for you?" Jenna eyed he sapphire rock on my finger.

"No, it's an antique. I found it in a, an antique store back in Cali."

"Never seen it before, sure Alek didn't get it for you? By the look of his car, he can afford it."

"I swear, I found it today in my jewelry box, I've been missing it all this time."

"Hmm, vintage. I like." A grin spread across her face.

* * *

**The Next Day:**

My high ponytail whipped against my back as I ran down the sidewalk, holding my iPod in my hand, it's headphones placed tightly in my ears. The chilly morning air smacked against the bare skin on my legs and face, but it felt refreshing. The sidewalk blurred below me as I felt a surge of adrenaline, running along with the beat of the music. My running shoes thumped against the pavement with every step I took. A bead of cold sweat ran down my forehead. Even with it being cold outside, and me only being in a long sleeved black Underarmour shirt and a pair of blue running shorts, the running kept me overly warm.

"Mornin'." A woman loading her two children into the car waved to me. I casually smiled to her. This had to be the third or fourth time someone's said hello to me this morning, though there was hardly a soul outside. It was Sunday late morning-early afternoon and people were either sleeping or spending their day inside since the weather for the past few days was overcast and cold. At the moment, it was sunny, a little too sunny for my liking. I silently sighed.

Running was just one way I was relieved of my stresses—whether it be the pressure of wondering if I was in love with Alek, or the stress of ghosts, or again, wondering if I was in love with Alek. It always used to help when I got stressed over issues back in California, I'd go out and run on the beach and come back feeling one hundred percent relieved. There was that reason I went out on my run this morning, and there was also the factor of what happened a few days ago—with Danny and I running for our lives in a run down apartment. Building up your strength and training yourself to run faster could never hurt when you have Danny Phantom as your best friend. Quickly making my way down the street and up my driveway, I pulled out my headphones and opened the door to my house.

"Jer, I'm home." I shut the door behind me, placing my iPod on the counter next to the door. I walked up the stairs, wiping sweat off my brow in the process. Grabbing a pair of clothes I laid on my bed before I went on my run, I went to the bathroom and sent them on the counter. I stripped of my dirty clothes, tossed them in the hamper and advanced to the shower. 

One shower and blow-dry later, I walked out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. Walking into my room, I checked myself out in the mirror, the sapphire ring catching the light in the room and reflecting to the mirror. Why I hadn't taken the ring off yet was something I haven't figured out yet. It was creepy wearing Anna's ring, it was like I had a piece of her with me. Flopping down lazily on my bed, I checked my phone for the millionth time this morning. But I was greeted to nothing, not a single message from a single person. Where was everyone when you needed them? I didn't want to call Danny because he was in a luncheon with his 'father'. Elliot was busy with homework, as usual. And Jenna must have a good reason for not calling, but then again we saw each other yesterday. Alek, I had no clue where he'd been for the past few days. I must have callen him four or five times in the past day, but I kept getting his voicemail. He continued the whole M.I.A thing and decided not to contact anyone. I learned not to think something happened because this was normal for him, and if I called him again he would probably think I was being too clingy. How could some guy tell me he loves me and then not answer his phone for two and a half days? This was getting out of hand in my mind. It was still unbelievable that I called all those people and not a soul answered. Was it _National Ignore Alexa_ _Day_, because that seemed to be everyone's goal. Maybe Danny was already out of the luncheon already. I had called him earlier, but he was very short with me, getting off the phone in less than ten seconds. But I haven't tried in the past few minutes. Ever if he was still in there, he had to be bored to death; talking to me on the phone would be the highlight of his afternoon—not to sound self-centered or egotistical, but business lunches were the worst. When Danny failed to answer, the phone went silent. I pressed a button on the screen to review my outgoing calls so I hadn't accidentally called another number by mistake; nope, Danny's face smiled back at me from the screen. Well, then why wasn't he picking up or at least texting me? I needed to stop being so dependant on these boys. Whether it be Danny or Alek, or even Elliot, no one wanted to talk to me right now. I was desperate. The screen to my phone turned black and I threw it face down on my comforter. A loud sigh escaped my mouth as I ran a hand through my freshly straightened hair…but I stopped half way as my vision focused on something that had caught my eye. Beside me, on my dresser next to a fallen over bottle of Victoria's Secret lotion was a facedown picture frame Swinging my legs over the bed, I got closer to the nightstand. I picked it up, only to be surprised by it being broken. Bringing the frame closer to me, I rubbed my thumb over the cracked glass. Inside was a picture of Danny, Elliot, and I from the night of my birthday. I was looking at this picture before I left for my run. It wasn't broken then. And the bottle of lotion, I hadn't used it, why was it toppled over? It should be right side up. I opened the drawer fully to see if there was anything missing, but the little that was in there had been was at hand. Jeremy had to come in here to look for something of his. But then again, when did I ever borrow anything from him?

"Jer, were you in my room?" I called curiously.

"No." He answered back. He didn't appear to be lying. Maybe I knocked it over subconsciously. As I put the picture frame back on the table, something shiny on the floor caught my attention. If I weren't looking closely enough, I wouldn't have seen it. A medium lengthened piece of dirty blonde hair was lying on the floor. Without thinking, I picked it up and examined it. Now obviously this wasn't Jeremy's hair, or even mine, and we were the only people in the house for the past two days. My hands brought the hair closer to my vision and by mistake, it snapped in half. Shoot. Then, something happened. The strand of hair changed color—it's shade now a silvery white. My attention was fully caught. When Danny transforms, he has the same color. But this hair couldn't belong to Danny. He has dark hair. That's when it hit me.

_There was another halfa in town. _

If there was truly another halfa in town, why was he in my room? Did he know I knew the great Danny Phantom or…

_My dressers. _

The middle drawer was pulled out, with a shirt hanging over it. It wasn't so much that the dresser was open, but it was the shirt that bothered me—it hasn't fit me in years. It was at the bottom of my drawer. And it covers the journal. The journal! Why hadn't it hit me sooner? I shot up from my bed and darted over to my dressers, going straight for the drawer I hid the journal in. Quickly, my hands began separating and digging furiously all the way to the bottom of the drawer and all I was greeted to was a wood bottom. No journal. My mind went straight into panic mode. Slamming that drawer shut, my hand flew up to my mouth. I'd bother searching through all my other drawers but I was one hundred percent positive that I put it in there yesterday right before I went to see Jenna.

_Someone was in here. And they took the journal. _

Snatching my phone from the bed, I dialed Danny with shaking fingers and anxiously paced the room, waiting for him to pick up. Ring after ring, I got more annoyed by the second.

"Hey it's Da—" His voicemail began to say but I hung up and I groaned. Sending Danny a quick text, I don't think my fingers ever typed so fast.

I don't know whether you're home right now or not, but meet me there NOW. Emergency.

After sending the message, I ran into Jeremy's room. He was sitting at his desk, writing something down on a piece of loose leaf.

"I need the keys." I demanded. Jeremy turned around in his chair.

"Cars in the shop." He reminded with a sneer on his face, like I was stupid to forget. Oh my God, at a time like this how could the car be in the shop.

"Fine, I'm going to Danny's, I'll be back." I alerted, rushing down the stairs and out the door before he could ask me another question. The cold air hit my arms, instantly sending a chill up my spine. Maybe I took back what I said to Jenna yesterday, winters here sucked. I should have gone back and put on a pair of boots or at least a jacket, but I kept going. While hurrying down the driveway, I heard a window squeak open.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Jeremy called from his room.

"Don't worry about it." I lied, not bothering to turn around and I began running all the way to Danny's.

The neighborhood was awfully quiet as I saw Danny's house in view. My shaking body felt relief wash over it as I ran up the sidewalk and to the door. There weren't any cars around the apartment building. Maybe they really weren't home? But Danny got my message to come here most likely; maybe his car was in the garage.

"Danny?" I knocked feverishly a couple times. No answer. Jiggling the knob on the door only informed me that his parents did in fact lock it. This was the perfect time to use the helpful knowledge Elliot had lent me. I bent down and lifted the welcome matt up to reveal a silver key hiding underneath. Twisting the key in the lock, the door opened and I stepped in, putting the key on the podium next to the door. The house was silent; all the lights were shut off.

"Danny?" I called, slowly walking through the living room. He wasn't here. Pulling my phone out of my jeans pocket, I went to dial his phone until I heard a loud bang from the basement.

"Danny?" I repeated louder. If he was in the basement, he couldn't hear me. I hurried myself over to the basement door, opened it, and ran down stairs—holding my phone in one hand and gripping onto the banister with the over. All the lights were off, it was black as night. _Okay Danny, this wasn't funny; turn a light on before I fall down the stairs._ I finally hit the bottom step and looked around the dark room in search of a light. But, only seconds later a hand clamped over my mouth. A muffled scream escaped my mouth and I couldn't breathe. My body was being pulled backwards, and soon, something hit me and I felt my consciousness slip away and fade into nothing.


	40. Day One

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for all your reviews :] I'll try to update soon! Love you guys! HOLY S*** we're on chapter 40 already! Ahhh!**

_Chapter Forty:_

_Day One_

_Chapter Song: Stefan's Theme by Michael Suby_

Coming back to consciousness, everything hurt. My back was sore, my wrists and ankles burned, and my head was pounding like I had a hangover. Before my eyes could even open, they could tell it was already dark inside wherever I was. The only thing I knew for sure right now was this didn't feel like home. It had to be night outside, but I didn't remember falling asleep. Underneath my hands I didn't feel any of my soft 600-thread count sheets. I just felt mattress. And not just my mattress either, this one was firm as a rock. The air was stuffy but cold, like someone left a window open. There wasn't any heat on to protect me from the icy air outside. Slowly, my eyes opened and blinked a few times. My brows furrowed, not sure of where I was. I found myself in a dark room with no windows or light. There wasn't even furniture! My head ached even more now that my eyes were open, so as I propped myself up with my elbow, I pressed my fingers down on my temples trying to relieve the aching. I was lying on a thin twin sized bare mattress—with no pad, sheets, or blankets. No wonder my back was hurting. The mattress wasn't on a bed; it was laid on the floor carelessly. Next to the thin mattress, on the ground were two long pieces of hemp rope that twirled around each other like a snake. The room was dusty and about the size of my bedroom, possibly smaller. The pain was chipping off the walls and there wasn't even a door attached to the doorframe. My eyes finally caught an old nightstand in the corner of the room. It looked like it had been sitting here for fifty years. I turned my head to the doorway and saw one light bulb hanging from the ceiling a ways down the hallway. _My god my wrists hurt!_ Looking at my aching wrists, I saw that they were red, and the same with my ankles. _Had I been tied up with the rope?_ Getting myself off the uncomfortable mattress, I walked through the creepy corridor and found myself walking towards more light. Wherever I was, whether it be a house or some abandoned building, it was silent. No one was here, so why was I? I found myself in what I believed to be a kitchen. A clean kitchen—it had electricity and everything! There was a small alcove area with a bay window that was letting in dim light from outside—what time was it? Was that sunset or sunrise? It had an old, small, lightwood kitchen table and two black antique dining chairs with 'X's on their backs next to it. The actual kitchen part looked fairly renovated from how everything else looked. There were a few broken cabinets, but there was all the appliances you needed- sink, stove, oven, and a refrigerator. They looked outdated though. The solid surface countertops were dirty, in the crevices between the wall and it, there was dust, what looked like cereal was spilled in one area, and there was a coffee puddle in the other. Where was I? This had to be some realistic dream…or nightmare. My head didn't quit pounding. Turning back to go in the hallway I was just in, I retraced my steps. While walking back, I heard a creak behind me. But when I spun around, I was disappointed to find the hallway empty. Okay this was getting weird and fairly creepy. Was this some kind of joke? When I turned around once again, I almost bumped into something—someone. A gasped escaped my mouth.

"Alek?" I said in disbelieve, "what's going on? Why are we here? Did you see anyone?" What was he doing here? Had he been held here for some strange unknown reason like me? The smug smile on his face disagreed. His head was cocked and he stood there without any word. My shoulders and my heart dropped. In that second all the things Danny had said and warned me about came to life. _Please let him be wrong, please let Alek be here for the same reasons as me_. But I knew he wasn't. I remembered everything that happened yesterday. I went to Danny's because there was another halfa in town and someone stole the journal. Was Alek working with the halfa? Alek noticed that I got the gist of what was going on.

"What am I doing here?" As strong as I sounded, I was terrified.

"I think you know." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"No, I don't! I wouldn't be asking if I knew!" I looked him in the eyes, desperate for answers. Alek turned away, walking back down the dark corridor.

"Why am I here?" I called; I felt my voice echo off the walls. He didn't feel the need to answer.

"What do you want with me?" I proceeded to ask. He stopped walking and turned around.

"Oh, I liked you so much better when you were knocked out." He rolled his eyes. What happened to charming-Mr. Perfect Alek? Where did he go?

"What do you want with me." I repeated, gritting the words through my teeth.

"Revenge." He simply shrugged, not a sign of expression on his face.

"Revenge? Revenge on who? For what?" I exclaimed. He rolled his eyes at me again.

"Danny."

"What? Why Danny?" I stopped and tried to think. It all hit me. The hair I found in my room belonged to Alek. The color matched his own hair. All those times Alek randomly appeared out of nowhere, how he knew things I knew he could. And how Danny got weird vibes from him. That night in the school where we were being chased by something and Alek had appeared in the English room…we were being chased by him. Danny had been right all along. I shouldn't have trusted him. My own boyfriend, who said he loved me, he was playing me.

"Oh my God, you're a ghost." I said under my breath. A self-satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"And the plot thickens!" His hands clapped together, "and I know Danny's one too." Cheeks burning, I looked to Alek.

"No he's not." I said in the most diplomatic voice I could muster. This was an instinct of protecting his secret for the past few months. Alek knew this whole time. I was dumb for trying to hide it.

"Don't lie to me Alexa, I know he is."

"If he is or isn't, how am I involved with this?"

"Because I'm taking someone that means something to him."

"Then take Elliot!". Alek looked at me like I was an idiot.

"I'm taking someone who he cares a lot about."

"Once again, why not take Elliot? They've been friends longer." Alek's lips puckered together in sheer annoyance.

"Because he's in love with you." Alek's stare made me uncomfortable, I looked down at the floor ignoring the comment.

"No he's not. He really doesn't care about me anymore. Not since you came."

"That's where you're wrong."

"Still, why does it matter that I'm here. If you're holding me hostage, congrats, plan succeeded, I don't get why that's revenge. Can I go home now?"

"When I feel it's time, I have a plan for you." He turned around and began walking away from me. I picked up my pace and ran down the long hallway grabbing one of his swinging arms. He shook me off.

"So everything you said to me, and everything we had together was just a big set up to get to Danny?"

"Smarter than you look. But not all of it was a set up. If it does count, I still have feelings for you, but I still have to realize what my true intentions are. And for my plan to work out, my intentions must trump feelings." He admitted. Clenching my jaw hard, I held back flowing tears. He used me! My eyes were like a dam that was breaking, but I kept strong and held the tears back. I kept my cool with the crying, but I lost it temper wise. I stepped forward and slapped Alek. I had no thought of doing so before I did it, but afterward I could scarcely believe what I had just done. It had been a good, hard slap, with the full force of my body behind it. And it snapped Alek's head to one side. My hand stung, though the pain wasn't my biggest concern. I stood there, trying to calm my breath as I watched what his next moves of the sudden, Alek grabbed my sore wrists then held them behind my back with one hand. Taking his other hand, he put it on my back nd slammed me against the wall. Quickly thinking, I turned my head to the side making sure my cheek took the impact instead of my nose. My arms were struggling in an uncomfortable position and there was no way I could break free from his grip.

"Now you listen. Don't ever hit me again or I'll kill you before I have to." He whispered in my ear. I nodded my head the best I could, my voice stuck in my throat.

"Got it?" He yelled. The dam broke, water came spilling out of my eyes.

"Yes." I cried.

"Good." He let go of the hold on my back and began dragging me towards the room I awoke in.

"Let me go." I fought, trying to walk the other way. I was literally being forced in the room. He pushed and threw me back on the mattress and stood there like this was normal.

"You used me." I growled, my face escaping more tears.

"To an extent, yes." He shrugged.

"After everything we've been through? You said you loved me!" I whined.

"I wouldn't try anything stupid if I were you. Bathrooms down the hall and if you go outside, there will be consequences. I'll come and get you when dinners ready." Holding his hands behind his back, he casually walked out. Tears were streaming down my face and I was wishing that I were back home in my own bed. Laying my head on my outstretched arm lying on the mattress, I silently cried. I hated him with all my heart for turning his back on us, like we were nothing. Like we had nothing. I wanted to cry out. I wanted to scream. But all I could do was lay there silently in a state of mute shock, panic, and silent tears.

* * *

**DANNY POV:**

Knocking on the door to the Pennington household, I felt a mixture of angry and nervous. I received several missed calls from Aelxa and a text message stating that she would meet me at my house because it was an emergency. What happened to be so important? I was now in trouble with my parents because of leaving the stupid business luncheon and I came back to myself to find the door unlocked, but no Alexa. It could have been anyone who have forgotten to lock the door, my parents maybe? But Alexa knew exactly where the spare key was, thanks to Elliot of course. After that I flew to her house to now be standing here on her doorstep, waiting for someone to answer the door. Finally someone did. Jeremy opened the door and was surprised, but confused, to see me. He pulled down the sleeved to his army green jacket and tucket his hand away in his jeans.

"Uh, what's up?" He asked.

"Just here to see Alexa." I informed, taking a few steps into the house.

"What do you mean? She went to your place." I turned around.

"With the car?" There wasn't any car in my driveway or hers.

"No, our cars in the shop because some lie she made up to cover you."

"What about your parents?"

"They have it. She literally ran out of here."

"How long ago?"

"Two hours ago?" Jeremy questioned, and once he did, I didn't have a good feeling about it. "Why?" he added, noticing something was up.

"She's not answering her phone and she's not at my house."

"It doesn't take two hours to get there."

"Exactly." I hesitated, "are you sure she didn't come back?"

"Alexa?" Jeremy yelled. The house fell silent. We both looked at each other and walked up the stairs and rushed into her room. The door was shut.

"Lex?" Jeremy knocked and opened the door. Nothing. Her room was untouched. Her bed was made and—gleaming glass caught my eye. I walked past her bed and to the night table where a picture of Elliot, Alexa, and me on her birthday was all cracked like it had fallen. My thumbs ran over the cracked glass. Had she done this?

"She asked me if I was in her room before." Jeremy put out.

"Why would she ask that?" I wondered, looking up from he broken picture.

"I don't know, maybe she didn't break that, or maybe she was missing something." Missing something. The journal. I ran over to the drawer she usually kept it in and opened it. All the clothes were messed around like she was searching for something.

"Dude!" Jeremy defended. I got to the bottom and it wasn't there.

"Did you take the Fenton Journal?"

"What the hell is a Fenton Journal?" If Jeremy didn't take it, then who did?

Elliot, Jeremy, and I were sitting in chairs around the living room, contemplating what happened. I had found the key the second I walked in the house, on one of the pedestals near the door. So it was either she was here or someone else was.

"You know, she probably went to Jenna's." Elliot reasoned.

"They were hanging out yesterday." Said, Jeremy.

"They were?" What if that evil-mind controlled Jenna came back.

"Try calling her again." Elliot forced.

"Why would the key be here?" I looked to him.

"It could have been anyone." Jeremy shook his head. It could have, he was right.

"But she said it was an emergency." I glared at my phone on the table. I've never hated it so much, it just sat there uselessly. No calls, no texts, no sounds.

"Just try calling her before her phone runs out of battery." Jeremy demanded.

"Fine." I snatched my phone and dialed her number, letting it ring a few times until I heard it.

_Wait—I heard it._

All three of us looked at each other and then got up from the chairs and followed the noise of her ring tone. Then, it stopped ringing and we all stopped walking. The noise was coming from—downstairs in my father's medical lab. The door was wide open and I could hear her phone ringing down there. I looked down the stairs and had mixed feeling about what was going on. Would everything be smooth and she would be down there? Somehow I didn't think it would be that easy.

"Your dads lab?" Elliot thought aloud.

"Alexa?" Jeremy yelled down, but there was no answer. Only the sound of a buzzing phone. I ran down the steep flight of stairs to find Alexa's phone on the floor, only feet from the steps. Behind me, I heard the footsteps of both Elliot and Jeremy. I turned to them with a tense expression on my face.

"Did you find it?" Elliot wondered. I held out the phone and nodded my head reluctantly. We all stared at each other worried as hell. It was like she just disappeared into thin air.

* * *

Hours later, we sat as still as statues in my living room, as if we were waiting for a magical answer to appear in front of us. Alexa's phone was sitting in the center of the table, the three of us staring at it like it was a bomb ready to blow.

"Aren't your parents going to worry when she doesn't come home?" Elliot broke the silence.

"They're on a late honeymoon in Maui for the next week and a half. They barely have service, but if they do ask to talk to her I'll tell them she's out. What the hell do we do? She's gone without a trace but a freakin' phone."

"What do you we do? This is Alexa we're talking about."

"You think I don't know that?" Jeremy spat.

"Look at all the signs."

"We have been! Do you know where she is?" I looked to Elliot.

"Dude, don't look at me." Elliot put his hands up in defense.

"Both of you stop. What does this journal have to do with anything?"

"It's ghost related."

"When I asked her what was going on she said not to worry about it."

"How does that give us any clue?" Elliot wondered.

"Because she hates me getting involved with anything related to ghosts."

"Understandable." I nodded my head.

"Maybe we should call someone. Jenna? Alek?" Elliot fiddled with his jacket sleeve.

"Alek." I whispered.

"I'll dial him." Elliot began looking for his phone in his pocket.

"No," I stoppe him, "don't you find it weird that we haven't heard from him in a few days?"

"He was over Friday night."

"And?" I asked.

"I don't know, I left because they were hooking up on the couch." Jeremy said, making a grossed out noise in the back of his throat. "He did leave suddenly though and Alexa didn't know why."

"Danny, you don't think he would be involved with this, would you?"

"Come on, we both thought there was something off with him."

"Correction. You thought there was something off with him."

"You even thought after a while things were going to fast."

"He wouldn't hurt her. Besides we both agreed this had to do with ghosts. Alek's normal."

"Or is he? What about all those times when I got this weird vibe from him? Like the first time we met him and I felt weird. What if he's the one doing all the bad things in town?" I began thinking.

"He was her boyfriend." Jeremy urged.

"And he said he was in love with her." Jeremy looked to Elliot, a disgusted expression on his face.

"Ugh God I've heard and seen more than enough of my sisters love life in the past two weeks." He gagged.

"I know Alek, he wouldn't have kidnapped her. Why would he have a reason to? Just call him, I'm positive." Fine, Elliot got his way. I punched the numbers eagerly on my phone's keypad and dialed his number, putting it on speaker afterwards. It rang twice and then went to voicemail. Jeremy and I looked at Elliot, who looked shocked and nervous.

"Maybe we should try again?" Elliot began. Jeremy and I rolled his eyes, Elliot was trying to pretend like Alek was so innocent.

"Elliot." I scolded; waiting for him to admit to himself that Alek was behind this.

"He ignored the call." Jeremy looked at him too. We all fell silent.

"I'll check school." Jeremy shot up out of the seat.

"I'll check town." We both got up leaving Elliot to find his own place to check.


	41. Questions

**A/N: I'm back guys! Sorry for not updating for so long. I got back home a week ago and I've been going teen wolf crazy and I've been writing a lot of stories about that. If you guys like **_**the secret circle**_** I'm gonna have one with Diana Meade and Teen Wolf and I'm probably going to do a **_**Vampire diaries**_** one :]**

_Chapter Forty-One_

_Questions_

_Chapter Song: This Isn't Everything You Are: Snow Patrol_

Everything felt weird, like a fuzzy dream where you had no control over anything. I had no clue what was going on, and truthfully, it was really annoying me. I could barely remember my name. I had no clue where my phone was, or even where I parked my car. Actually, what kind of car did I drive? Where were my keys? It was almost as if I had been slipped something. I wasn't to sure of where I was or how I was back with Danny, Elliot, and Alek, but then again, why did I feel like I left them? That was their names, right? Okay, I must have been slipped something. We were standing ankle deep in snow in the middle of an empty road, everything was so white it could hurt your eyes if you looked long enough. Where were we? It didn't snow this much in Savannah. Danny was wearing some grey pull over and Elliot was in a blue button down. They defiantly weren't wearing that the last time I saw them…which was when exactly? None of this added up. I was wearing an outfit I've never owned before. At least I didn't think I did. My head pounded from feeling so lost. Danny and Elliot were a few yards away from me, and I was beside an extraordinarily happy Alek. Though the snowfall had come to a halt, the air was chilling to the bone. I looked over to Alek, who was holding something in his hands. He raised it up, and before I could speak, he pulled the trigger on the gun he was holding. He shot Elliot in the chest. Twice. Elliot gasped and fell face first onto the ground. And again, before I could have a reaction, he pointed the gun towards Danny, shooting him three times. Each time was shot he made this terrible grunting noise in the back of his throat.

"No!" I screamed, everything had felt like it was in slow motion, until now, where everything was in full speed. Danny fell into the blood stained snow. I ran to my two friends onto to have a terrible, stinging pain in my back. It was like I was getting punched and stabbed all of the same time. The wind was knocked out of me and I fell to my hands and knees in the icy snow the second I reached the boys. Leaning my hand to the back of my shirt, my hand came back covered in blood. Alek had shot me. The snow around me looked like a cherry snow cone. My legs gave out and I collapsed into the snow, feeling a numbness overtake my body. Alek walked over to me and smiled proudly.

"Sorry." He lied with a toothy grin, he pulled the trigger again and the bullet came shooting out of the gun.

My eyes shot open with the contact of the bullet. I was breathing short, heavy breaths. Sweat beads ran down my face and my hands. My shirt was sticking to me. I looked down to find my blue short sleeved v-neck had been untouched by any blood. It was all a dream, a terrible dream. I sat up and hugged my arms around my legs. Looking around he room wide eyed, I made sure I was back home. But I wasn't. So this wasn't a dream, it'd been real the whole time. Before I knew it, Alek appeared in front of me, crouching down on the ground. I gasped, and kicked myself back against the wall.

"Well, well, well, look who finally woke up. Good morning sleeping beauty." Alek smirked.

"Stay out of my dreams." I croaked, remembering how Danny said something about ghosts being able to infiltrate your mind, having psychotic like effects.

"Breakfast time, my dear. Cant have you starving yourself." He chuckled, leaving the room for the kitchen. Slowly, I got myself up and walked into the bathroom. I looked at my reflection in the cracked mirror. Wearing the same clothes I wore a few days ago, I felt disgusting. I ran my fingers through my hair a few times in an attempt to cure my bad hair day. While looking in the mirror, I spotted bruising on one my wrists. My left wrist had traced of black and blues and it hurt to the touch. That was the area where Alek had a hold on me. I sighed, shutting my eyes tight trying to ignore all of this. There was no way to block it out, to ignore the fact my boyfriend had kidnapped me. My own boyfriend! Who would have thought of it? Who in their right mind would have thought I'd been kidnapped by someone, who was a ghost, who'd only pretended to like me to get back at my half ghost friend. Screw all this supernatural stuff, I wanted to live back in the real world, where ghosts were mythological creatures. While walking back to the kitchen, I could hear the unwanted sound of Alek talking. Pressing my back up against the hallway wall, I listened in.

"Yeah I don't think she really wants to talk to you right now." He was on the phone, and he was talking about me. A moment passed before he spoke again.

"You have a good day, mhm, bye now." I heard the phone flip off, and I stormed into the room.

"Was that Danny?"

"Eavesdropping is considered rude." He waved it off.

"So is kidnapping. So, he knows what's going on? Now what?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Time Alexa, time." I smiled. He handed me a plate with two pieces of buttered toast on it, "Go eat." He demanded. I listened to his orders and sat down at the table. Since I refused to eat last night, I was starving, but I didn't want to eat. The nauseating pain in my stomach trumps all the hunger I had.

"You really should eat." Alek took a seat across from me with a mug filled with hot coffee. I fake laughed.

"Since when do you care what happens to me?"

"I just care if you eat so you stay alive long enough." He took a sip from his cup. _Clank_, my fork dropped onto the ceramic plate.

"Do you care about anything but this revenge? What happened to every thing you said about me? You said it yourself that you loved me! You're going to let everything go because of something so stupid as to whatever happened with Danny?"

"Correction, I love you enough to let you go."

"That doesn't count when you're going to kill the person. Why do you want to kill me? I'll do whatever you want."

"You want to know what I want? For you to be quiet and sit still why I go take a shower." He got up, leaving his coffee on the table. I heard his door slam and him rummage through his drawers. I buried my head in my arms and sat there in silence for a few minutes just listening to nothing. I didn't know how to calm myself down. An anxious feeling overtook me, I couldn't stop shaking my legs or tapping my fingers against the table. I didn't really think there was a way to calm someone who was kidnapped down. I lifted my head up and let out a loud breath, blowing a piece of hair out of my face in the process. I got out of my chair and walked over to the cabinets and searched for something, anything. My mouth felt gross, I needed gum or a mint or water. Something. Anything. While looking through the kitchen, something caught my eye. Something that should have caught my eye twenty minutes ago—the front door. It was like an exit to heaven, and it was unguarded. Why hadn't I thought of this sooner? I looked behind me and to the side making sure Alek wasn't anywhere in sight or hearing distance and I slowly begun tip toeing to my freedom. Every so often I would cautiously look around, but my surrounding was clear. As quietly as possible, I turned the doorknob and opened the creaky door. I looked behind me once more to see a clear sight so I took one step out. The chilly air immediately hit me.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alek's voice appeared. I snapped myself around staring at him with my heart racing. He was only wearing a pair of black jeans with a belt, no shirt. I tried not to look at his abs. Pushing that thought out of my mind, I was stupid enough to break out into a run. I didn't know what to expect the outside of this place to look like. A desert? An abandoned island? Or maybe it was somewhere in the middle of Alaska, where all you could see for miles was pure ice and snow. Well, it sure wasn't what I expected. It really was the middle of nowhere. We were in the middle of the woods. There wasn't a driveway or a neighborhood or any signs that this should be an actual place for a house. I was running through over grown grass and dodging roots and piles of dead leaves, but Alek had appeared in front of me. Stopping dead in my tracks, I ran to the right and sprinted to another deeper part of the forest, filled with trees and bushes. I could find somewhere there to hide. Alek wasn't even in a ghost form like Danny; he just looked like his normal self. He could use his powers outside of his ghost form, Danny couldn't. He appeared in front of me again, and I stopped with a loud gasp. He grabbed my wrists and threw me onto the leafy dirt floor. When my back hit a tree stump, I felt like I was hit with a fifty-pound weight. I could feel a trickle of warm liquid down the side of my face.

"Now look what you did Alexa." Alek disapprovingly shook his head. I stayed in my laying position on the floor.

"Alek please don't do this." I pleaded. He laughed suddenly, and my heart jerked and began pounding hard.

"A little to late for that, sweetheart." Getting tired of waiting for me to get up, Alek grabbed my arm and yanked me up and, surprisingly, lifted me up into his arms. He carried me back to the house. He had put me down at the kitchen table after that, and he had placed me in a chair. I watched him go over to the sink and place a bunch of paper towels under the tap. He walked back over to me and began dapping where I could feel the red sticky liquid on my face.

"You know if you don't fight me, this would be much easier." I couldn't chose whether he was bipolar or just plain psychotic. It was like a mixture of both. He was the one that threw me, he was the reason I had this cut on my forehead, now he wanted to clean it up and care for me? No, that didn't work. But it's not like I fought him on it. Taking the paper towel away from my face, it came back to be a diluted red color. The iron smell of the blood wafted through my nose and made my stomach curl. Alek had gone to throw the dirty towel away, leaving me to sit three baffled. He opened up one of the Pine cabinets and wrapped his hand around a vintage crystal decanter. After grabbing a glass, he sauntered over to the table, pouring the brownish gold liquid inside the crystal glass.

"Have a glass. Stole it from my mother who stole it from the queen. Not sure which one." He informed, swishing the bourbon inside it's small glass. He took a seat across from me. The queen? As in the queen of England? How old were his parents!

"You're a ghost. And you've known this whole time." I thought in disbelief. I didn't bother looking at Alek, I was staring at the floor behind him.

"Of course. But I'm better. I'm a hybrid, which means both at the same time. I'm a special sort of ghost—"

"Does that give you the right to gloat about it?" I retorted.

"I'm sure you've heard of it before. There's a handful of others like me. The ghost that came after you three at homecoming, Anna," my head snapped up, "I'm sure you've heard of her." Alek had a sinful smirk on his lips.

"You know Anna?"

"Know, heard of, encountered a few times in my life, it's all the same."

"She's still alive?" Alek just lifted his brows. "Alek, I'm serious. This is the one thing I'm beginning for you to tell me."

"The one thing?" He laughed. "You've been begging me for a lot of things."

"Alek, please. I need to know if she's still alive!"

"If you must know, she was."

"Was?"

"I haven't seen her in many years. She could easily be dead."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"Ugh," he groaned, "so many questions."

"Alek, god damn it, tell me!" I hear the words, but I wasn't sure I'd said them. The voice was too rough, to edgy to be mine. It was as if there was a stranger in my skin, saying these words using my voice.

"The last time I saw her was in nineteen eighty-five in London, at a concert of all places."

"Nineteen _eighty-five_?" That was twenty six years ago. Alek wasn't even alive.

"You do realize hybrids stop growing after a certain age? I've been nineteen for about I don't know, a _very_ long time. Not important. But she does look like you, very much. And let me tell you, there really is some Anna in you. Boy, you defiantly have some fire in there."

"What?"

"Let me explain this to you since Danny is incapable of doing his ghost research. There's two of you, right? You're the good, and she's the bad. It's like the angel and the devil. But, both of you have half of the other inside of you. You naturally act good, and she acts bad. Inside of you, there is an Anna, which I have easily noticed over the past weeks. You have this side of you that can make you manipulative, deceptive…evil to say the least."

"And Anna?"

"Well that's just her," he gave a hearty laugh, "but deep down inside that manipulative bitch, there is the slightest bit of good."

"Does she know about me?"

"Like I said, I haven't seen her since eighty-five. But if she is still alive, it's hard to say. But you two do look exactly alike."

"Yeah, so I've heard." I mumbled.

"So there. You got your answers."

"Not enough! I still don't understand why I'm here!"

"You ask way to many questions." Alek rolled his eyes.

"Maybe because I want to understand more why you want to kill me when I didn't do anything. Don't you think it's a bit unfair? You know, you being a ghost and me not?"

"Not at all."

"You said you were doing this because of Danny. Why?"

"I told you, revenge."

"There's always a reason for revenge, you don't plan revenge for no soul reason. There has to be some explanation of why you want to kill me." Alek stayed silent but finally got up and walked away into the living room.

"You're running away from answering me."

"Because I owe you no explanation." He roughly said.

"No, you can't, it—" Though I was about to go on and fight, asking Alek what the hell I was doing here, something on the white couch caught my eye. It was a black article of clothing. At first, I couldn't tell what it was because it was draped over the side, but then it was easy to tell the more I looked at it. Alek followed my stare and crossed his hands over his chest.

"You were saying?" He wondered.

"A black hoodie," I said in one breath, "that was you. They were all you." I looked up to him.

"Hmm, I thought you would figure that out earlier." His brows raised but soon dropped with a shrug.

"That was you? You were the person chasing us?"

"And on the side of the road when you were driving with Jenna, and—"

"When I was at the drug store," I realized, "you were behind the tree. You were watching me."

"That time I thought you caught me."

"How long have you been watching us?"

"A few months."

"A few months?" I repeated.

"It's not hard to understand." Then I realized something else. This was like multiple bombshells being thrown on me all at once. My head felt like it was going to explode.

"You were controlling Jenna, weren't you? That night she tried to drive me off the bridge. She gave you this look the next time she saw you."

"And I thought that was for sure going to give it away." I let out a shaking breath. I wanted to punch Alek in the face. All this anger was being built up inside of me. I wanted to scream, cry out, but I stayed silent.

"I trusted you." I finally spoke.

"We both know _that_ was a very bad decision. Betrayal hurts the most from someone you love." Alek wandered away from me. I'd never felt so sure of something in my life. Whatever I had been pulled into the moment I laid my eyes on Danny, this game was getting bigger and more dangerous by the moment.

I needed a drink, or something. My mouth felt dry and disgusting, much like the rest of my body. As I lifelessly walked into the kitchen, I grabbed a glass from the cabinets and put it under the sink, letting the tap fill it up. On the counter in front of the kitchen was a plastic bag filled with make-up, a toothbrush, tooth paste, and a hair brush. There was a chip in the pink plastic of the hairbrush. I had done the same to mine right before the move, it fell on the ceramic floors and cracked. Wait…these were mine. The make up, that was all mine. I set the glass down on the counter and snatched the bag, examining the items inside. Yes, these were mine alright. A shiver was sent down my spine as I could feel Alek's presence behind me.

"How did you get these?"

"I made a quick visit to your house last night."

"You couldn't have gotten me actual clothes while you're at it?" I complained. I should have been thankful I had what he gave me. Alek thought the same.

"Just appreciate I did something nice for you."


	42. Bad Meets Evil

**A/N: Wow, didn't realize I hadn't updated this in a while. Sorry, not doing to well in school :/ But listen to the chapter song when you get to the part where Alexa is looking out the window, it's a beautiful song :] Please, please review! I want to get 5 but I doubt its gonna happen.**

_Chapter Forty-Two_

_Bad Meets Evil_

_Chapter Song: Guarded by Kevin Daniel_

* * *

_**Danny's Point Of View: **_

An arm hung over the side of the red couch. It belonged to Elliot, who was fast asleep; he had been for an hour now. Jeremy was examining the map strewn out across the coffee table. Red X's marked the places over town we'd checked. After getting up and mumbling something inaudible about taking a shower, Jeremy ventured up to his room and left me alone with a sleeping Elliot. My eyes were glued on the table, which had the map and my silent phone occupied on top of it. _Ring, God damn_ _it_, I'd silently yell. Nothing. Pure exhaustion took over me and I fell against the back of the couch and slammed my head against the cushions. Staring at the ceiling seemed pretty productive since everything else I seemingly failed. I was going to kill Alek when I found him. And actually kill him, since he was a ghost and all. As I continued to stare straight on, I could hear the ringing of Jeremy's shower being turned on. And it continued and continued till I realized, that wasn't the shower, it was my phone. My body darted forward and snatched the phone from the table, pressing the answer button before even looking at the screen.

"What the hell did you do?" I yelled, not realizing that the phone call could be from anyone. Before I realized it, I was standing up.

"Hello to you too, Danny." Alek's sickening voice greeted. It filled my body with rage.

"I knew it was you. Where are you two? Is she okay?"

"For now."

"Why are you doing this? Let me speak with her." I demanded.

"Yeah, I don't think she really wants to talk to you right now."

"Leave everyone else out of this. Come back to town and fight me."

"You have a good day—"

"Alek, I swear to God—"

"Mhm? Bye now!"

"Alek!" The line went dead, as it had been for the past day and a half. I growled and threw my phone across. It hit the back of the couch and landed forcefully on Elliot's stomach. He woke up with a gasp and blinked his eyes a couple of times and looked around. His chocolate eyes landed on me.

"Hey man." He shook his head to lift the fatigue blanket over his mind. I glared at him with fiery red eyes.

"What's got you so angry? He drowsily asked, still half asleep. My face puckered up in pure anger and I stormed out of the house before I did something I regretted.

"Danny? Dude, what's go-ooh." He realized by the time I slammed the door shut.

* * *

**Alexa's Point Of View: **

A delicious looking plate of scrambled eggs and crispy toast grew cold as I pushed it around the ceramic plate in front of me. Across the table from me, Alek picked up his coffee and took the final sips of it and placed the mug back on the round table. I pushed the eggs around the plate, growing nauseas at the sight of food. It wasn't that I wasn't hungry, in fact I was starving, but anything Alek touched was repulsive. Being three feet away from him made me want to throw up.

"Have you ever seen a wild horse?" Alek broke the uncomfortable silence between us. Was he really asking me this?

"No, but I'll put it on my to-do list if you let me go." All Alek did was chuckle as he loosened the grip his hands had wrapped around the mug.

"You should eat you know, the only reason I'm feeding you is so you could be kept alive." A loud, shrill, sound echoed through the room as my fork clanked on the plate.

"I'm not doing anything until you tell me why I'm here—and don't you dare say it's for revenge because you've told me that twenty times already. What else are you hiding from me?"

"Quite a lot." He admitted. Well, at least he was blunt about it.

"So tell me what's going on. Tell me why I'm here, why I'm involved with this. Please, I can't—"

"I will do what I want." He cut me off. An awkward silence settled between us as the hybrid got up and went to rummage for more coffee in the kitchen. He could have killed me now; he could have killed me three weeks ago. But he was waiting for something, and I was dying to find out what that something was. It was about another two minutes before Alek had returned with a mug full of piping hot coffee. He pressed the cup to his lips and took a sip, staring down at me as he walked back beside the table. His lips. God, I can't believe I used to enjoy kissing him. His piercing green eyes looked down to the uneaten plate of breakfast and then they looked back up to me.

"Thanks, but no thanks." I mumbled, pushing myself away from the table and walking off into the living room, unable to be near Alek for another minute.

* * *

**Alek's Point Of View:**

He should have killed her three weeks ago. Made this easier on himself. He could have killed the ghost and his idiot friend back home long ago, before anyone had figured out who he was. But, he didn't want to kill his captive though. This went with his plan that he'd been arranging for a while now. He knew that the thought of torturing her for a certain amount of days would make both Danny and Elliot go crazy, and how could it not? Not knowing where on earth she was, knowing that Alek was up to something that was bound to end up badly. And Danny had every right to be scared, because that was exactly what Alek was going to do. Every time the girl rebelled, something bad would happen. And Alek knew she was quite the rebellious type. Alek smiled to himself, the anxiety he must be causing them all pleased him greatly. For all any of them knew, Alexa could have been somewhere hidden secretively in the depth of any European forests, that's where people go when they don't want to be found—Alek had figured that out fifteen years ago, give or take a few. But he decided not to make all those arrangements; the flight to Europe would be such a hassle. So, he chose his parents old lake house about three hours outside of Savannah. It was close and sufficient enough. Though the house wasn't on a lake, it happened to be in the middle of a forest. They use to come here when they desired privacy an could just be their dead selves. Alek had always been fond of this place, memories overwhelmed him at every corridor he walked through. The memories of his parents tugged at his heart, but that was the past—he was on to bigger and better things now, like killing the girl standing in his living room. As Alek sat alone at the table, his mind unavoidably traveled to the days he used to come here with his parents. There was a lake not to far down the road where he'd used to go swimming and do normal human things like catch fish with his dad. They always mocked humans doing it, so why not try? Why not try. There were a lot of things his parents and him never tried. _God Damn it Alek! Get it together_, he scolded himself. He had to stay focuses because soon, it'd all be over. He placed the coffee cup down on the table and stood up, sashaying into the living room.

* * *

**Alexa's Point Of View: **

I stood looking out the window with my arms crossed over my chest. The scene outside looked like a photograph. It was unmoving and silent, like the world was on pause. Above the tall treetops, the sky was a soft grey. You could easily tell winter was here. My peace was disturbed when I could hear Alek saunter into the living room, his reflection appearing in the window. But I did what I did best and completely ignored him, looking past his image. That grew old when his presence got annoying.

"Are you just going to stand there or star torturing me to death?" I wondered, not bothering to turn around. I continued looking out the window because looking at Alek was to damn hard.

"November 4th, 2010." Alek stated. Was this supposed to phase me? I kept quiet since the date meant nothing to me. "That was the night, the worst night of my life."

"Where are you going with this?" I flatly asked.

"You wondered why you were here, I'm telling you." My brows pushed together as I focused on the dying trees.

"I'm not the bad guy here."

"How are you not the bad guy? You kidnapped me!"

"I'm not the bad guy and Danny's certainly not the good guy. You think your little friend is the hero? Think again." He spat, anger infiltrating his prior calm voice. My brows became tighter and I turned around, my arms tightly crossed over my chest.

"What do you mean?"

"My parents. He killed my parents." Alek announced. My shoulders dropped, along with the rest of the weight tightening up my body. His parents? Danny did that?

"Danny wouldn't have done that." He didn't hurt people, or innocent ghosts in that matter. He wouldn't have done that. Would he? Was Danny really the person I thought he was?

"There you go again? Defending him even though you weren't there."

"He must have had a reason, he doesn't just kill someone for no reason."

"What reason justifies killing a teenagers parents? What makes him think that it's okay to take away the only thing I had left?" Alek yelled. I became silent. My parted lips pursed together, feeling sympathy for Alek.

"He took away what was important to me, now I'm taking away what's important to him." Something didn't add up. I knew Danny, far better than I knew who Alek really was, but would Danny really kill his hybrid parents? They must have been doing something bad, of course they had to be. But what if they weren't? What if Danny really did kill them for no reason? No! There was no way! Alek was getting inside my head, that was it. I wasn't having second thoughts about Danny being the good guy while I was being held captive in god knows where with the evil ghost hybrid that lied through our entire relationship and was now trying to kill me. Coming back to reality, I realized Alek had turned his back and was now going to walk away.  
"No, wait, Alek…" I walked towards him.

"What?" he snapped. I studied his face. His angered eyes were full of despair and heartbreak, but he was the master at concealing it.

"You're not lying to me, right?" My voice was soft, being careful with him since I could tell he was fragile at the moment.

"This would be one of the only things I'm telling the truth on." My heart sunk into my stomach and it felt hard to breathe.

"I'm sorry." I didn't realize I said it, but the words had come out of my mouth before my brain registered them. Why should I be saying sorry to him? He's made my life a living hell the past two days and he was going to kill me. But deep down inside, I knew how it felt to lose a parent, and mine wasn't even dead, so I couldn't imagine how Alek felt.

"Yeah well, you're the revenge plan so it doesn't really matter anymore." He mumbled, quickly turning around and disappearing into the kitchen. Maybe I was crazy, or maybe it was trauma from being kidnapped, but I could swear I could see tears in those devilish eyes of his.

Somehow I found myself on the couch, unable to stand from the amount of information poured on me this morning. I sat in that same position for hours on end. On the outside, I was silent but on the inside my head was buzzing with thoughts. This time, I wished Alek was lying. I prayed he was lying, but why else would he tell me that? Why else would he kidnap me? Everything fit into place with the story he told me. Alek wasn't so much the bad guy in my mind anymore; he was the confused, desperate orphan that longed to avenge the death of his parents—the only people he had left in this cold world. He was hurt, he was scared, and most of all, he was alone.

* * *

Alek was the one who involuntarily took me out of my thoughts many hours later as he passed by me, not a word said. He didn't even bother to look at me, but he did flip a light switch on. I could hear him retreat into his room and then a minute later the shower turned on. That was when I realized the sun had already set and it was dark. I got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, flipping a switch that turned on the lamp above the kitchen table. The small clock on the wall read that it was a quarter past eight. I had been sitting there that long? Thinking about whether Danny was really who he said he was? A short electronic beep caught my attention and a red light blinked from Alek's phone. Phone. I quietly walked towards it, the screen flashing a quick message about the battery being low. I picked up the phone and my fingers hovered over the keyboard. Was I really about to do this? Alek was in the shower, how would he ever find out? He was going to kill me anyways. This made no difference. My fingers quickly dialed *67 and then Danny's number. If he saw Alek was calling, he'd most likely ignore it. My fingers retracted and I placed the phone up to my ear, occasionally listening to see if I could still hear Alek's shower running, the water pounding the floor.

"Hello?" Danny's voice answered quietly. All the words I had built up to talk to him got stuck in my throat. My mouth was open to speak, but no words came out. What if Alek, using some ghost power could hear me talking? And what if he was right about Danny ruthlessly killing his parents? That wasn't going to stop me, the sound of Danny's voice reminded me of home and made me want to cry.

"Hello?" He repeated, slightly annoyed this time. There was only silence on my end of the line. I wanted to speak, but I got so caught up in my thoughts it was like I forgot. There was a lump that formed in my throat that if I spoke I'd regret it. I could tell he was about to hang up, so I did everything I could and I swallowed the lump and all those terrible thoughts.

"Danny?" His name came out in something a little louder than a whisper, but it was quite evident I sounded broken. I'd let him go on about how he was right about Alek. All I wanted to do was hear him talk, and let him get me out of here. I could feel a stinging sensation behind my eyes and the tears began clouding my vision. There was no way I'd let myself think for one second that Danny was the bad guy, I couldn't. Alek wasn't the good guy, he never would be.

"Alexa?" he realized. "Oh my God Alexa, are you okay? What's going on?" I wanted to shout out 'I miss you, you were right, please get me out of here'. I wanted to scream how much I missed everyone, how scared I was. But I was silent. "Alexa, you'll be okay. I promise, we're all looking for you. We're coming for you. I swear, we'll get you back no matter what it takes," Danny paused, "I love you." He said, I nodded to myself, not fully taking in his words. Salty tears brimmed to the top of my eyes. "Wherever you are, I'm coming for you. Don't—" The phone beeped and that was the last thing I heard from Danny. The line was dead and as I took the phone away from my head, the screen was dark. The phone had died. My lips quivered, not being able to form words or even cry. That could very well be the last time I would ever talk to Danny, and all I said was a word—his name. I absentmindedly put the phone on the counter and squeezed my eyes shut as I felt a hot tear burning a path down my cold cheek. I finally let out a shaky breath I had been holding in ever since Danny said I love you.


	43. It's Time

**A/N: Sorry or such a long time with no update, lifes been crazy -_- **

_Chapter Forty-Three_

_It's Time_

_Chapter Song: Who Are You Really by Mikky Ekko / Its About Time by Barcelona_

"Danny?" My voice echoed in fog dense forest. Puffs of white appeared out in front of me commencing from my mouth. My feet pressed down into the fleece insides of my boots.

"Danny where are you?" I called, finally stopping in my tracks. An eerie silence fell over the forest where I stood and sent a tingling shiver down my back. I looked around for my best friend, in front of me, to the side, and behind.

"Right here." He solemnly replied. I whipped my body around to see him appear out of the foggy darkness.

"Danny, where have you been I've been looking everywhere for y—" My eyes trailed down to his hands and I was forced to pause. His skin was tainted with crimson liquid. Picking up its metallic scent through the earthy smell of the forest, I could tell it was blood.

"I've done a bad thing, Alexa." He took a step forward. I looked past him to see two bodies piled on each other, blood splattered on their pale skin. My eyes focused back on Danny, realizing he had done that. "I did that. And I liked it. I enjoyed every minute of it." Danny had admitted. A lump had formed in my throat as cold air snipped at my shaking body. Four more bodies were added to that pile. Then two more, then another three. I turned around on my heel but was greeted by Danny's electric green eyes.

"But remember, I still love you." He quickly reminded, pursing his lips and shoved something piercing sharp into my abdomen.

For the fiftieth time since I was here, I had awoken up from yet another nightmare with a loud gasp and fluttering eyes. I could barely feel my cold body, as I didn't want to. I let out a relieving breath as I tried to calm my heart rate. In the process I could see Alek standing in the room, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest, a satisfied grin plastered on his face.

"Another nightmare?" He smirked, cocking his head to look at me.

"No, it's just how I like to greet the morning." I sarcastically spat, rolling my eyes and sitting up, falling against the back wall. Alek walked out with a smile and silent chuckle. I shook my head and rubbed a cold hand over my face. All of those dreams, those nightmares, turned out the same—one or both of us dying. But as bad as that dream was, as terrible as it made me feel and how many chaining reaction nightmares it would give me till I died, it gave me an idea. A risky, bad, and terrible idea.

* * *

Alek had left me alone most of the day. He was abnormally quiet and spent his time, what looked like to me, daydreaming and deep in thought while staring out the window. Presently, was curled up on the couch, my legs pressed up to my chest and arms wrapped around my thinly covered torso. I watched Alek emerge from whatever cave he had been hiding in most of the day and walk past me and out the front door without a sarcastic comment or snide remark. I thought he'd be out there a minute, two tops since he never trusted me by myself, but I happened to be wrong. After five minutes I forced myself off the couch and looked out the window for whatever suspicious activity Alek was up to. But it turns out, it wasn't so suspicious after all. For once, Alek wasn't up to anything. He was standing out there in the cold, staring out. And that was it. He wasn't talking, he wasn't moving, he was just thinking. After continuing to watch him for thirty more seconds I took myself into the kitchen and began rummaging through the drawers for the one object that had been in my mind all day. The first draw was filled with tiny trinkets and kitchen utensils, the second contained assorted kitchen towels and oven mitts, while the next contained exactly what I was looking for. I wrapped my fingers around the black plastic base and picked up the object. My eyes stared directly at the shining silver blade. A knife, what was I thinking? Trying to stab Alek to hinder him long enough to let me get away was stupid. Real stupid. But it was worth a shot, I was gonna die here anyways. I closed the drawer as I heard the front door shut behind Alek and I swiped around, acting casual as can be.

"Ah, I see she moves. Finally."

"And I see he comes out of hiding. Finally." I retorted as Alek sashayed into the room. He eyed me suspiciously.

"What?" I grimaced at the look he gave me.

"What's going on?"

"Wondering why you're giving me that face. Other than that, just enjoying my time as a kidnapping victim."

"And that's it?"

"Yeah." I nodded my head, pretending to agree with him. Casually, I kept my hands behind my back, slightly resting on my hips so he didn't suspect anything.

"Really?" A smile appeared on his face. I nodded my head slowly and sighed.

"Okay no. You're gonna think I'm crazy, and I even think I'm crazy, but I feel sorry. I feel bad, Alek. Really bad about what Danny did to your parents. I should have listened to you about him, and I just feel weird about not trusting him and actually trusting and believing the real you." The lie rolled off my tongue like water. That was easier than I thought. His brows scrunched together.

"I'm sorry about what he did. No one deserves that." I walked forward and quickly wrapped my arms around him, embracing his cold frame in a tight hug. He was still for a second before he returned it…but with less feeling. So maybe it wasn't a complete lie, I did feel bad for him. No one deserved to lose their parents. It was sad: sad that I felt bad for him and sad that his parents were actually gone. But I pushed through that sadness and I rose the knife up at the perfect angle and went to stab him. And I'm sorry for this, I silently said. But, at the last second, at the quickest speed his arm reached back around and grabbed my wrist tightly, snatching the knife from me. Two words: oh crap.

"Really? You're sorry?" He cocked his head. I nodded my head. "You've got to be a little more clever than that. I could sense you were up to something the moment I stepped in here. You might want to put up a better act." Well, for his information I thought my act was pretty damn good. "But now I'm pissed. You tried to kill me, I'm hurt. And when I'm pissed, I'm vengeful." Both our hands dropped down to our side and Alek toyed with the knife.

"Yeah hence the reason I've been stuck here for days." I mumbled with the roll of my eyes. He grabbed my wrist tightly and looked me in the eyes. His beautiful blue orbs became smaller as they were taken up mostly by the blackness of the pupil.

"You're going to stab yourself in wherever place that hurts most, but one that wont kill you." He smiled happily. My eyes widened in utter fear.

"And don't scream, I've already got a head ache. I don't need to hear you more." He chuckled. He handed me the knife and without another thought, my hand grabbed it and rose up then came rushing down. A gasp replaced the scram I held back the moment the tip of the knife broke the skin on my abdomen. Dull pain spread across my stomach and became sharper and sharper, throbbing until the pain was unbearable. I slid the knife out, the blade covered in a blood. It fell to the floor with a loud clank and I dropped to my knees, my mouth a quivering 'O'. I put pressure on the fresh wound, only to grunt with my mouth shut and a salty tear run down my face.

"See, I like revenge. It suits me well." Alek commented and left the room, leaving me alone in my state of sheer pain. On my free hand, my nails dug into my skin, for sure leaving marks. My teeth gritted against each other, letting myself hold back the scream that wanted to erupt out of my lungs. My hand retracted from my abdomen and into my line of vision. It was shaking and tainted red, like Danny's had been in my dream earlier.

* * *

Hours passed and there wasn't a moment I moved more than an inch. I was still on the floor, clutching my bloody side in silent pain. Alek had disappeared, again, into his room and stayed there. Until now. A hand was offered down to me and when I looked up to see what it was for, Alek was offering me a helping gesture. I stared at it for a moment, a long and hard moment, wondering why the man who forced me to stab myself was now helping me up. I decided for some idiotic reason to take it, and while I held onto my wounded side, I gave Alek my non bloody hand and he pulled me up. He led me over to the table and sat me down in a chair. He proceeded to go search through the cabinets and pull out a small bottle, then walking back and handing it to me.

"Take it, it'll help with the pain." What kind of freaky psychotic ghost was he? He handed me a red and white pill bottle containing Tylonel. I reluctantly opened the cap, and popped two pills into my mouth, dry swallowing them. What surprised me most is when Alek decided all on his own to fetch me water.

"Why are you suddenly being nice to me?" I asked, taking a sip from the glass while Alek took a seat beside me.

"Why not? I do still like you." He chuckled. What guy let the girl he liked stab himself? Oh right, the psychotic revenge-seeking ghost. He was crazy, I wasn't even in the mood for addressing that.

"What is that so hard to believe?" He wondered, seeing the perplexed expression on my face.

"No what's so hard to believe is you. How you did everything, how you planned everything, how you were everything."

"Not everything, just most things." His shoulders shrugged. "Yes, the strange, mysterious break-ins were me. I had to get clothes, money, and a ride some how."

"Oh so you stole the fifty thousand dollar car, why am I not surprised." I should have been freaking out, but I expected no less of this Alek.

"Don't think less of me."

"I've been thinking less of you from the day you kidnapped me. And from the day I found out you were doing everything!"

"It's not that bad." He waved it off.

"You were the hooded people. I don't know how you were multiple people, but you were. You chased us around an apartment complex!"

"Let's not forget those pictures." He smugly smirked.

"And on top of that, the picture appeared in Danny's car."

"Don't pretend to be so surprised. They were watching you and I was watching all of you. You're welcome by the way, I kept them from finding you guys a few times."

"You what?" I whispered in shock, "why did you help us?" My voice was now stronger.

"I wouldn't call it helping, more like I wanted it all to myself." There he was, being all-smug again. My chocolate brown eyes rolled themselves.

"So you remember everything when Danny tried to make you forget."

"The fight with Danny at Vlad's party? Oh yeah, I remember that very well. That was fun." He chuckled. "You should have believed Danny, I did go in there and start with him. Instigating jealous little halfas is fun. Getting punched by one? Not so much."

"That's your fault."

"Hey, it was worth it."

"Lying and using me, that was sooo worth it." I sarcastically spat at him.

"It was, and I'd do it again." He warily smiled.

"Of course you would. Oh my God, Alek get me out of here already. I don't even care what you do to me. I'm done! I will never, ever stop fighting to get away from you." I yelled, gazing at Alek, who was giving me a sickening, pouty smile.

"Sweet, little, Alexa," he said in a syrupy voice, "you can cry, run, and persuade all you want, but there's no way out of here." He walked out of the room. A fiery anger burned inside my veins. I had the strongest desire to kill Alek, but he'd kill me before I beat him to it. There was that desire, and there was a part of me that was wanting to save him from himself. Sure I wanted to save me first but he was a lost soul and I wanted to help him. He was so gone.

Alexa, what the hell are you thinking? He kidnapped you! You want to save the man that kidnapped you, stabbed you, is going to kill you and wants to kill your best friend?

Yeah, I was an idiot.

* * *

I awoke from a deep sleep startled and distressed from pain shooting up my body. I lifted my head up to find the room pitch black, as usual, and so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The room was calm, too calm, so I expected Alek to just appear right in front of me to give me another heart attack. It never happened. It was way to quiet and my suspicions were starting to grow. I had dragged myself all the way to this bed hours ago, and now I was lifting my damaged body up and off the mattress and made it wearily stand up. My abdomen was throbbing, burning like it was set on fire from my stab wound, but I pushed that into the back of my mind the best I could.

"Alek?" I called down the corridor and peaked into the bathroom, which was empty. I looked into his room; the door was wide open and the bed was made, but there was no Alek. Creeping down the hallway, I made my way to the kitchen. I had absolutely no clue what time it was, but outside the light was dim. The kitchen was as still as the room was, but what caught my eye the most were the counters. There wasn't anything on them: his keys were gone. Cautiously, I looked all around me but still found myself Alek free. I took a few steps into the silent living room and looked around. The coast was clear. Silently, I slithered my way towards the front door and wrapped my hand around the cold, brass, knob.

"Thought you'd be able to get away that easily?" A dark, sinister voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw him smirked at me. "Haven't we tried this already? I mean really Alexa, there's got to be another tactic you haven't tried yet." He laughed. "But no need," a smile spread across his face, "it's time." In one swift motion, Alek took my head and bashed it into the door, causing me to black out.

**Please Review **


	44. End Of The Road

**A/N: I've been dreaming about writing this chapter for like a year or so now! And here it is! It was so hard to write and the ending was even harder. Please tell me what you think :D **

_Chapter Forty-Four_

_End Of the Road_

_Chapter Song: Never Say Never by The Fray_

My brain pounded furiously against my head, a migraine already forming the moments I was beginning to gain consciousness back. I felt freezing, my skin felt like it was numbing. I could feel a icy wind slap against my cheeks, so I forced myself to open my eyes. My hands were bound in front of me, the rope digging hardly into my skin. I could feel it tear of the first layer, my skin turning scarlet by now. My feet were bound too, just under where my skinny jeans had stopped. But then, I could feel the knotted rope being undone. Looking up, Alek was working with it and finally untied my feet and finally freed my hands. He tossed the rope beside me.

"You know you take forever to wake up?" Alek complained. Yeah well maybe if I wasn't knocked out so many times I wouldn't have to be waking up! I sat up, using my arms beside me as support. Damn it. Every time I moved my abdomen screamed out in pain, refusing to work with me here. He just had to stab me…he had to make me stab myself!

"Where are we?" I looked around. We were high up and sunrise was just breaking across the dark sky, the day finally breaking in. We were on a bridge, surrounded by tons of forest.

"An abandoned railroad bridge fifteen miles outside of Savannah." My head craned around as I sat on the cold ground. This didn't look like a railroad bridge, more like a normal bridge. It was the size of two car lanes, and it felt like it went on for at least half a mile. The ground had been filled in and hardened by dirt, stone, and cement. The sides of the bridge were open so anyone could easily jump off of them, and I've heard stories on the news about teenagers doing that and killing themselves. We were nowhere close to the ground, and I was almost certain I could here water underneath us.

"What are we doing here? Shouldn't I be stuck in that room I've been forced in for God knows how many days?" I spat. A shiver sparked through my spine.

"No, it's time." He gravely announced but with happiness in his voice. Time. It was time. That meant my time that Alek needed me was coming to an end. Did he plan on just handing me back off to Danny? Sureley enough it couldn't have been that easy. There had to be something in return.

"So what, you're just trading me off? That's it?" Alek laughed, as this was some kind of joke.

"Hilarious," he paused to squat beside me, "like you just went through a week of torture just to be let go." He stood back up.

"Then what's going on?" It was like pulling teeth with this man!

"I've told you to many times already. Welcome to your sacrifice." He shot me a toothy grin. My eyes bulged out.

"This?" I stated. "Right now?" My voice had increased quite a bit.

"I told you it'll happen with time. Well, it's time." He was beginning to become annoyed.

"Alek, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do." He growled. I balled my left hand into a fist, the cold, metal of my ring freezing my skin.

"if you're leaving town, I'll go with you. Anything. if all the things you told me over the past week or whatever long I've been with you are true, then you much rather me alive and with you." I argued. He said he did really have feelings for me, so how could he kill me?

"You know I have to do this, don't you dare try to back me out of it!" he yelled.

"So you're just going to kill me? Here? You had your chance back at the house." I spoke so lightly of it.

""This is different, much more painful. And this time, we have an audience." What? Audience? People were here? Alek stood still for a minute. Something was going on. He could sense it. And as I opened my mouth to question him, he cut me off.

"Get up." He demanded, grabbing my wrist and forcefully pulling me up in less than a second. His grasp moved to my bicep. My heart began beating faster and pounding in my ears.

"Move." He ordered, pulling me. I stumbled over my feet.

"If you're going to kill me just do it." I told him. I was sick of being put through this torture. It was over for me.

"I'm so glad you're agreeing on that," he smirked, "Fenton, I know you're here!" He screamed out into the silence of the morning. Alek forced me against him. His arm still held the clutch on mine. Out of nowhere, Danny came into view from hiding behind some trees. He walked onto the bridge and stopped halfway. His arms were crossed over his chest as his eyes burrowed into Alek. My eyes widened as they watched him. Oh crap. Why was he here? Our gaze met and his eyes softened. Mine were filled with fear, scared for what was about to happen. I gave him a look screaming, '_what did you do? Get out of here'. _

"I thought you were going to do something stupid, like try to get her without me knowing."

"Giver her to me Alek." I felt like a target in a rifle range. This wasn't good.

"If you think it's going to be that easy you're strongly mistaken."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to suffer just like I did." He ferociously yelled. This was a touchy subject.

"What have I ever done to you?" Danny clearly never knew.

"You ruined my life." He spat. "And you're going to regret it." I struggled to get out of Alek's grip, but it was useless. He slammed my body against his again.

"Let me have her, and we can figure this out."

"Not that easy, Phantom." Danny grew silent for a moment, we all did. He looked over to me again. I didn't dare look him in the eyes, mine fell to the ground. He probabl thinks I told him.

"How do you know about that?" He didn't bother hiding it?

"I'm positive I would know the man who killed my parents." I could hear the pain in Alek's voice.

"Your parents?" Danny said in disbelief.

"That and I've been watching both of you for the past few months. Need to be more careful, never know who's watching."

"Killing your parents? This is what it's all about? Revenge?"

"Seems like you're catching on just as fast as she did."

"If I killed them, that means they were ghosts. And that means…" Danny's theory on Alek being a ghost was correct. He knew it. Call it ghost intuition but he had the feeling something was always up with him.

"And the plot gets thicker." He laughed, "and the best part? I'm better than you. I've got both of my sides combined, so I don't need that pathetic little ghost form like you."

"If I killed your parents, they were obviously doing something wrong."

"No!" He spat, "you were doing something wrong! You killed the two people that meant the most to me! And now, I'm going to do the same thing to you. Starting with her and ending with Elliot!" Alek yelled and grabbed me with so much force it made my heart jump. I stopped myself from beginning to hyperventilate.

"Don't you dare." Danny threatened, taking a step forward.

"Move another inch and I'll snap both of your necks."

"Alek, no." I begged.

"Thank you for being so perfect for this plan, sweetheart." He brushed a hand over my numb cheek. "Now the big problem is, you're still breathing." He whispered. He tugged me over to his left side.

"Damn it Alek, don't do it!" Danny yelled. I was too preoccupied to notice, but Alek formed a ball of energy in his free had and he hurled it towards Danny. Danny was send flying backwards on impact and hit the floor of the bridge.

"I told you. Come any closer and that'll be ten times worse."

"Stop it, Alek! Don't hurt him." I fought.

"No promises." He spat. Danny struggled to get up. "Of course you don't remember, but a few weeks ago I asked you a question that you thought was quite strange, so I made you forget it. Could you guess what that question was?" I shook my head. "It was 'what way are you most afraid of dying?'. You told me, of course and then asked me why, and joked about if I had a plan to kill you. So me taking precautionary measures, made you forget. So, are you ready my dear?" He looked at me with the same eyes I'd fallen for weeks and weeks ago. I shook my head nervously as he dragged me over to the edge.

"Now can you guess what you answered to my question?" I looked down over the edge of the bridge. We had to be a hundred feet up. At the least. The water below was dark and calm.

"Drowning." I replied with no feeling in my voice. Could I survive being dropped one hundred feet? If I did, how was this going to kill me? I knew how to swim.

"Correct." He smiled. Danny fought to get back up but he was shot down with another energy ball. It must have been painful, because Danny screamed and his back arched.

"I heard drowning the most painful way to die." He hissed in my ear. His lips pressed against my hair but then pulled away. Danny, as far away as he was, mumbled a 'no' since he could hear Alek speaking.

"This can't kill me." I blurted out, mustering up the strongest voice possible for the position I was in.

"It can when you don't know how to swim." He had a smug smile plastered on his lips.

"What?" Danny and I both gasped.

"Once you hit that water, you won't try to get back up." His eyes burrowed into mine. And for some reason, my mind felt like it was being taken over by Alek and agreed with him. I didn't want to go back up. I won't swim back up, my mind silently repeated.

"Just do it already." I shook my head feeling more than hurt. "After everything we've been through. After I loved you. Just do it."

"Don't." Danny groaned, struggling. Alek shot him down. Danny grasped his side, screaming in pain.

"Thank you. For everything." His voice sounded sincere, like he actually was thanking me. Like he appreciated his time with me. Alek was the devil, the only thing he appreciated was my pain. And snap! Just like that my strong façade broke down and all I was feeling was complete terror as I was standing right on the edge of death.

"No, Alek, no!" I gasped, my heart was pounding against my ear drums. "Alek, no!" I screamed as he pushed me over the edge. Falling one hundred feet felt exactly like it did in the dreams I had. Except I'd always wake up before I hit the ground. My body went numb and all my thoughts turned dark. I knew I was going to die. There was so much to think about in my last few seconds of life, but I didn't know where to start. And before I knew it I took my last breath of air and slammed into the surface of the river and dove under. The icy water chilled my body, like I was taking a swim in the arctic, or in a bath of pure ice. I'd freeze over before I drowned if anything. The water pushed down on me from all sides. I could feel my shoes hit the bottom and though I tried to swim up, my clothes felt like they were weighing me down. I kept my breath stuck in my mouth. My heart was still fluttering extremely fast as I began to panic more and more. I'd do anything for a breath of air, to be dragged up to the surface and breath as much as I possibly could. All I could see was hazy shadows of the water, my vision was completely burned and my eyes stung. My arms were moving slower and slower and I had a yearning to close my eyes. I wanted to fall asleep. I thought I could fight against it, but I could feel my lids growing heavy. I coughed, large bubbles appearing in front of my mouth and floating upwards. My chest burned with water. Heart panicking, I pushed up with all my might but barley got an inch. It was as if there was a heavy weight tied to my ankle, dragging me down. That was it. I had nothing left. I had done my best, but this was how I was going to die. And all I wanted was for someone to hold my hand through it. I needed a sign of comfort, someone to hold me through this. Through the pain I was in, my mind wandered. I thought of Shylee, of how sad she would be. And my dad, he definitely wasn't going to take this well. I hoped Jeremy would be there for them, comforting them even though that wasn't his thing. The thought of the three of them alone together, without me, brought tears to my eyes, well, if I could cry at this point. My mind wandered from my family over to Jenna. I was one of her closest girl friends, I wondered if she would even care if I died. I was almost sure Elliot would, I had grown to become his best friend, besides Danny of course. And Danny, there were so many things I could have thought about him. I never got the chance to tell him how I felt, I never got that chance to thank him for coming to risk his life to save me. But most importantly I never told him the truth. My body tingled over with numbness and I couldn't feel anything anymore. Everything felt somewhat peaceful and calm. And that was weird since less than a minute ago I was panicking to get out of here. Water surged into my mouth and nose, drowning my lungs. My lids began to close as I felt my life slowly washing away from me. My heart had started to beat less and less, slower and slower. This was my fault. I trusted the devil. Alek had fooled me. He was a charmer, and I had believed him. I was tricked by the devil.

_The devil is real. _

_He can be beautiful. _

And in a last calm, silent moment, I felt water peacefully burn the inside of my body and I closed my eyes for the last time.


	45. The Sun Also Rises

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys :D No, that was not the last chapter! And as for Alexa being dead? Well, we'll have to see where the story takes us. **

_Chapter Forty-Five_

_The Sun Also Rises_

_Chapter Song: Be Still (The Fray) / Radioactive by Imagine Dragons_

**DANNY'S POV:**

I'd been shot down at least ten times now. Alek was ruthless, and basically unstoppable. I went ghost as quick as I could, shooting ecto-energy balls right back at him. I could feel my suit rip down the arm as he tackled me to the ground, punching me in the face multiple times. I sent an ecto ray straight into his stomach, blowing him back ten feet. He landed on his back with a thump and a loud groan. I flew over to him, tackling him and punching him in the chest.

"They trusted you!" I yelled.

"They're mistake." A smirk graced his lips. And there we were, fighting till one of us died. Seconds went by, Alexa still underwater unable to come up for air. Every time I tried to go for her, just to put her on the surface, he got me to the ground. He was preventing me so she purposely died. Another minute went by, and we continued our fight. Punch after punch was thrown, ecto ray after ecto ray was thrown, and finally, just as I thought I'd never win against him, I caught him off guard. My anger got the best of me and before I knew it, I watched Alek Westburn fall to the floor, dead. I didn't give myself a second to care or observe, I flung myself off the bridge and dove into the ice-cold river below at the same time I had lost my ghost powers from how weak of a state I was in. My vision was blurry so all I could see was shadows. But I could see her figure, all the way at the bottom. I pushed myself farther down and finally reached her. Her eyes were closed, her hair floating above her. I couldn't tell if the water was moving her or if she was actually moving. I grabbed her by the waist and kicked to the surface as fast as humanly possible. We reached the surface and I began swimming over to the bank, dragging her up and lying her on her back. I straddled over her and couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't coughing out water or why her body wasn't even shaking since it was at least forty degrees. I was completely in denial. Though I didn't know how to give CPR, I gave it a shot anyways. Pressing my mouth to hers, I began breathing in and over and over. I put an ear to her chest, searching for a heartbeat. But there was none. Then I searched for a pulse on her neck. I found none there and immediately went for her wrists. None there either.

"Wake up!" I yelled. I tried for a heartbeat again. Nothing.

"Get up! Breath!" I was screaming but it's not like anyone would hear me. There wasn't civilization for miles.

"Oh my God. Oh my God." I repeated. There were things, certain things that took a lot to make me cry. And it was rare. But this was one of them.

"Help." I screamed, dragging it on as long as possible. "Help." I sobbed, toppling onto her in tears, crying for her to wake up.

My best friend died. And it was my fault.

* * *

Savannah may seem small, quiet, and if a passer-by didn't know any better, boring. Nestled between beautiful forestry, the town is know to history fanatics, campers, adventures, and about every supernatural dead being in the world. Savannah is, and always has, been the heart of all supernatural. Behind the beautiful southern façade and the small-town-charm lies danger and darkness. Don't let it fool you, because it easily could. 

A faint beeping noise entered my mind every few seconds, sounding as if it was miles away. My body felt numb, tingly, but mostly limp. Something scratchy was set against the skin on my left hand. Above my stomach, my skin felt taught. There was something putting pressure around my abdomen and foot. The strong smell of an anti-bacterial cleaner mixed with soap filled my nose. It made me want to gag, but I couldn't—because I wasn't breathing. I wasn't breathing, gagging, or moving. I must be dead; this is what I imagined it to be. Dark, calm…yet torturing. Everything felt so still, like the world and everyone in it wasn't moving. I tried moving my hands but I couldn't feel or shift them. The world would be silent, except for that beeping noise that sounded like it was coming closer and closer. That was the only thing I heard. There was no heartbeat, there was no evidence of life coming from my body. Ever so often it would stop, but it might have been my mind limbo in and out of consciousness. Under my anesthetized body, I felt something soft and cool. Before I could even ask myself where I was or what was going on, or more importantly why couldn't I think clearly, some memories began to come back. I kept imagining hazy visions in the dark hole of nothingness I was seeing. I heard once that after you die, wherever you end up, you can't remember how it happened because the brain reacts in some weird psychological way and stops you from remembering the trauma. I finally had a surge of memories wash through me, and I relived my death. I was underwater, not being able to breath or rise myself to the surface. I was stuck on the bottom and I was drowning. My body had felt heavy and my throat and lungs burned from ingesting water. I watched myself drown. Everything had gone from panic to calm in a matter of sixty seconds. And as I watched myself die under the water, I began to come out of my calm state that I was in and I started to panic. I needed to breath! I needed air! There I was, I took my last gulp of water and my eyes closed and the hallucination me watching dead me in the water panicked. Everything turned white. My eyes quickly opened along with my body shooting up, loudly gasping for air like a fish out of water. Digging my nails into what I found were to be sheets, the pain from everything hit me full force. I continued to breathe to relieve my lungs; it was like I had just run a ten-mile marathon. I let out a cough before I began hyperventilating again. I was breathing in real air, not water! Before I could connect to reality, I felt hands on my back and my upper leg, which was covered by a blanket. Danny was kneeling at my side. Everything was so white I made the realization that I was in heaven.

"Alexa, Alexa, look at me. Are you okay? Can you speak?" He sat on the bed I was in. I wasn't in heavan. I was in a hospital room. Light from the windows reflecting off the obnoxiously white walls made me want to close my eyes and never open them again. I looked down to my left hand, there was an IV needle penetrating through my skin and pressed down with clear medical tape. I looked to my right wrist, it was raw and cut up from rope. Trying to cease my hyperventilating, I took a big gulp, making my dry mouth feel even more disgusting than before. My heart was racing a mile per minute. My heart was now beating. It hadn't been before.

"I died." I said as I took a long breath out. As terrified as I was I looked at Danny, who looked troubled. He comforted me by squeezing my right hand. That's all I wanted when I drowned, to be held. "I'm dreaming, I-I'm dreaming. I drowned, I died." I shook my head, tears welling up and stinging my eyes. I was 100% sure I was dead, not even 99%. I had felt myself, watched myself die. Why was Danny here? This was heaven. After all, Danny was half ghost so maybe this was the part of him who died. He shook his head.

"You're not dead." My breathing calmed down as I relished in the fact I wasn't inhaling water.

"How? I-I felt it. I felt myself die, there's no way I could be alive right now, unless, unless I'm a ghost." What if I had turned into a ghost? I didn't feel like a ghost. I felt…I didn't know how I felt. A heft nurse with pale skin and stringy dirty blonde hair tied up into a messy bun stepped into the room wearing starchy pink scrubs. She was looking down at a clipboard but her eyes widened once she saw me. "You're awake!" She exclaimed. Danny rose from my bed and lingered out into the hallway, leaning against the doorway. My brows furrowed at her.

"I'm sorry," she collected herself, "I'm sorry. Good morning Miss Pennington."

"Hi?" I was more than confused. What the hell was going on?

"How are you feeling?"

"Bad." I pursed my lips, not bothering to lie.

"Well, you have a good excuse to be." She chuckled.

"What?" I cocked my head, furrowing my brows more, "what do you mean?"

"By taking a look at your chart, you've been through the ringer. But don't worry, we'll get you healed up soon enough."

"Been through the ringer?" I repeated, "I'm sorry but what exactly are you talking about?"

"Well you got into a car accident sweetheart." She flipped to a certain page. "One broken rib, two crabbed ribs, 3 inch wound to the abdomen, slightly deep cut on your forehead, cuts, bruises, scratches on your wrists, ankles, arms, a sprained ankle, several blows to the head resulting in a sever concussion, tiny fracture of the front of your skull, and water in your lungs." The list seemed to go on forever.

"I was in an accident?"

"Car accident. Rolled off a bridge."  
"A bridge." I repeated.

"Yes. You weren't…" She paused and looked like she zoned out.

"Okay I think that's enough." Danny walked in. The nurse zoned back in the room.

"You'll be okay, just give it some time. We've got you on some pain meds, binding tape for your ribs, your wounds stitched up. But hey, at least you're awake!"

"Awake? What are you talking about?"

"You've been unresponsive for two days."

"What? No, that's got to be wrong." I shook my head. I tried to have a calm expression on my face, but it wasn't fooling anyone.

"Nope, ever since the Phantom boy brought you in, you've been out cold."

"Unresponsive, as in dead?" I figured.

"Technically you were, but don't tell anyone, some of the patients and doctors might get freaked out. Only I'm supposed to know." Something was definitely up with this woman.

"I could imagine why." I mumbled.

"If you need anything just press the button. The names Maggie." She smiled and finally exited the room. Maggie had given me a hospital room all to myself, there was only one bed and it was the one I occupied. There was a chair all the way on the other side of the room; Danny's jacket hung over the side. A white and flower printed hospital grown covered my frail body. It looked like a dress on me, but to my advantage, unlike some hospital gowns it wasn't open in the back. Shifted and crossing my stiff legs, I silently groaned as it hurt to tuck my ankle under of one my legs. The soft, light set of sheets and blanket pooled around my waist. I buried my face in my hands and I felt Danny sit on the bed, placing a hand on my covered knee.

"I'm such an idiot." I sighed.

"No you're not." He comforted.

"I never should have trusted him. You had bad feelings about him and I was being to ignorant to notice."

"He had everyone fooled, it wasn't just you."

"I believed him." I sadly laughed, mocking my naïve personality.

"We all did." We fell into a unison silence.

"What did she mean I was technically dead?" Danny was silent. "Danny I know I died. You don't just drown and wake up like this. Tell me."

"You did." I thought so. So now I had to ask the question I was dreading.

"Am I a ghost?"

"I don't think so."

"It's either a yes or no, Danny."

"No. Not yet at least and I don't think you will be."

"When I was waking up I didn't even feel my heart beating. Please tell me the truth. If I died, and I did, people don't just wake up. They're supposed to stay dead." Danny reached down and grabbed my hand, sliding my ring off and holding it up so the both of us could look.

"You found this in the journal, right?"

"Yes." I shyly answered.

"How much did you read?"

"I didn't. I mean, I don't remember much of it but I found it and put it on. It fit."

"You died with this on. There's a symbol on the bottom of this, engraved that I've seen in the ghost zone before. So I went to your house, found the journal and read about it."

"I know it was Anna's. I know that much."

"And I also went to clockwork. He helped me out."

"Clockwork? That time ghost you talked about once?"

"Yeah. Anna used this," he showed off the ring, "to fake her own death when someone tried to kill her. She made a deal with clockwork though he wasn't to happy about it. So basically if you're a ghost, or you die, it'll bring you back. Most likely, at least.

"A ghost or me? Why me?"

"I thought I was gonna have to convince clockwork to turn back a few minutes before you die, or revive you—which defiantely isn't easy to convince him on because that's chaning how everything in life's supposd to play out. But he said to not bother wasting my breath that you were coming back anyways, without his help, because it still had power in it from when Anna used it. And it'll only work on you because you're her twin. It won't work on someone like Elliot or Jenna."

"So anyone normal."

"Yes."

"I guess having a twin has its advantages." I sadly smiled. We fell into another silence and I wrapped a few fingers around Danny's.

"I can't believe I died." I said, trying not to have a breakdown.

"I can't believe you came back."

"Where is he?" I couldn't help but wonder where Alek was. Danny stiffened and finally relaxed.

"With his parents." He admitted. So he was dead. Alek had died at the hands of Danny, his fate ending up like his parents. It was revenge for killing me. I took in a sharp breath. That was hard to believe, my ex boyfriend was dead. I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned forward, resting myself on Danny's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around me. I chocked back my tears. I had died, drowned in a river by my ex boyfriend. The tears came freely now, the pain in my heart strong and painful. I stayed silent, salty tears soaking into Danny's shirt. My arms reached around his stomach and I continued to burry my head in his shoulder.


	46. Unsaid Words

**A/N: HOLY CRAP I HAVENT UPDATED IN SO LONG! GUYS IM SORRY :[ I DIDN'T REALIZE! But Ive been so unbelievably busy. I graduated a few weeks ago and heading to college soon! I hope this chapter makes you all happy :D PLEASE REVIEW I NEED INSPIRATION! **

_Chapter Forty-Six_

_Unsaid Words_

_Chapter Song: Look After You by The Fray / Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran_

I woke up with a quiet groan, and rolled over onto my back. My eyes inched open and closed again, then opened once more to take the amount of light in. It was finally bright again. I had slept most of the night but for some reason, I felt as tired as ever. Lolling my head around, my eyes focused on the occupied seat on the opposite side of the room.

"Hey." I groggily said, sitting up in my bed. I could hear my bones crack of stiffness.

"Ah, she lives." Elliot stood up from the chair and walked towards me.

"Where's Danny?" I asked, looking around the empty room. He wasn't here…unless he was invisible.

"You get kidnapped, you die and come back to life, and you haven't seen me in weeks and the first thing you ask is where's Danny?" Elliot asked, quite annoyed.

"I—"

"I'm kidding. I sent him home for some sleep. When I tell you he looked dead, I mean deader than usual." I gave Elliot a faint smile as he plopped down on my bed. I grasped onto my thin blanket and began toying with the material between my fingers.

"What's up?" He wondered.

"Nothing, I just, I want to get out of here. It's so depressing."

"And you dying isn't?" He laughed, "come on, Alexa, you're here for your own good."

"I figured." I sighed. A moment of silence passed between the both of us. As much as I missed Elliot and I wanted to talk, I didn't feel up to it. I was far to deep in thought. And he could notice it.

"You know, Danny had an obsession with checking your pulse every five minutes. He didn't think you were going to wake up. None of us did, actually. Who wakes up after they die?" He shockingly laughed.

"Apparently me." Another sigh, then more silence.

"What's it like?" Elliot asked.

"What's what like?"

"Dying?" He paused, realizing how bad of a question this was to ask so soon, "do you remember anything?" I didn't think it was to bad of a question. He was curious of course, like anyone would be.

"Yeah." I paused to collect my thoughts. "I remember dying. The drowning, I mean. It was painful at first, which was a given. Your lungs are burning for air and you keep fighting off opening your mouth, but then you do. And once you take that first breath of water, it stings. It's like your whole body was lit on fire. You can feel blood pounding behind your head and water filling up your throat and then it's gone. It's peaceful. And everything was so quiet and calm, and I wanted it to stay like that.

"Do you remember being dead?"

"A little, I guess. Before I woke up I was just floating through blackness. I knew there wasn't a heartbeat, I didn't feel or hear one. But as far when I was dead, those are two days of my life I'll never get back. No pun intended." A smirk formed across my lips.

"There's the old Alexa we love." He smiled. "I've missed ya'."

"Missed you too." I paused. "Elliot…Danny said he was reading from the journal but before Alek took me, it disappeared like someone stole it. How'd he find it?"

"Alek paid us a little unknowing visit one day. He took some stuff from your room and somehow dropped the journal on the bed."

"Why would he do that?"

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." A female voice barged in to my hospital room. I focused on the strawberry blonde walking into the room with two, colorful 'get well' balloons in one hand and a pile of miscellaneous items in the other.

"Jenna?" My eyes widened.

"You look worn out." She openly admitted. Thanks, Jenna. Thanks. She set the balloons down.

"Yeah." I barely answered.

"I can fix that." She smiled widely, waving a makeup bag for me to see.

"Jenna, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Elliot called me since you went all M.I.A on me for the past week and a half. I couldn't get ahold of you anywhere! And after the fourteenth thousandth phone call to you, Elliot called me back and told me about the car accident. Honey, what the hell happened?" I looked to Elliot.

"Give us a few minutes?"

"I'll be by the vending machine if you need me." He got up and quickly exited the room but not before taking a quick peak at Jenna. Jenna took Elliot's seat on the bed and plopped items in front of me.

"Magazines, movies, make up, and chocolate. All a girl needs." She smiled. "Now, tell me what happened." She ordered/

"I got into a car accident. With Alek." His name tasted like poison on my tongue.

"Wait, with Alek? Elliot didn't mention that? What happened?" She gasped. I had heard bits and pieces of the story Danny told the nurses, but not all of it. I was going to have to improvise with a lot of detail.

"_He_ picked me up late a few nights ago and we were going a few towns over. We had a fight. We were having one in the car, and it started raining and _he_ was driving really fast. I don't really know what happened, something ran out into the middle of the road and Alek, he swerved and lost control of the car so it flipped." Jenna looked terrified as I told her the false story.

"What was the fight over?" Crap, Jenna was asking specifics. I stayed silent for a minute, my lips parted. What was I supposed to say? It could have been over anything but she had to believe it. And his parents couldn't be here for anyone to talk to, so what was I supposed to—

"He was moving away." The words just spilled out of my mouth. "His dad, he got a job in New York. They were moving."

"So what, he moved away just like that? Is he okay? How come you're all scratched up and he's not? Where is he?" Jenna shot her questions at me. Okay, maybe I should have had Elliot stay in here and helped me out. My throat tightened and my dry lips parted.

"Jenna…" I could barely speak. I couldn't breathe, my lungs hurt. My eyes stung as I could feel tears coming on. What the hell! No, Alek killed me. I shouldn't be upset over his death.

"Oh my God." Jenna whispered, a hand flying up to her mouth when she got the picture. "Alexa, I'm so, so, sorry." She began tearing up.

"It's okay." I looked down to my sheets.

"Did you see him die?" Jenna gasped. I shook my head.

"No, but I kept saying his name and he wouldn't answer me. The car was completely turned over, I'm surprised I'm not dead." Well, I'm surprised I'm not dead anymore. At least he's with his parents now.

"How did you get out?" Jenna, for God sakes stop with the specific questions!

"I don't really remember. I think I crawled out through a broken window."

"Oh my God, who found you?"

"I blacked out. I don't remember."

"Oh my God," She cried, "sweetheart. I'm so sorry." She engulfed me in a tight hug. I shivered as the word sweetheart echoed through my ears. The overpowering smell of her Marc Jacobs perfume wafted up my nostrils. It was a nice change from the smell of antiseptic. "I know he really loved you, and you need to know that." She rubbed my back.

"Yeah, I know how much he did." I said quietly. And that much, was not at all.

Outside, Danny and Elliot had their backs pressed up to the wall outside my room. They were both eavesdropping in on our conversation.

"She is a really good liar." Elliot commented.

"That's not something to be proud of, Elliot." Danny spat back and proceeded to walk away towards the vending machine to go fetch himself a package of Reeses Cups. While the boys sat outside in the lounge and ate candy, Jenna filled me in on drama and did my make up to make me look, in her words, 'less dead'. And by the time she finished, she handed me a mirror and I looked like a brand new person. I was slowly getting back to the old me. And it was going to take a while.

"You're the best, Jenna." I smiled, examining how awesome I looked.

"I know." She flipped a lock of strawberry blonde behind her.

* * *

A hazy hospital room greeted me when I opened my eyes. Everything felt confusing and unreal, almost to good to be true. I didn't feel any pain, which was a nice change. There was a manly figure dressed in all black standing in the corner of the room with his back to me. I shifted my head and watched the figure turn around and smile to me, his arms crossed over his chest. I blinked once, making sure this wasn't a dream or hallucination, but there he was, standing in the same place he was before.

"Did you miss me?" He said in a charismatic and calming voice that I almost missed.

"Alek?" I quietly questioned, still having a hard time believing what I was seeing before me, "he said you were dead." I mentioned.

"Yeah, I heard that too. But here I am."

"What happened to you?" I curiously asked him in the same calm and quiet tone I used before. Why wasn't my brain alerting me to be yelling for help, or getting out of a room alone with him. I couldn't help but accept my body feeling calm and relaxed to see him, like I had forgiven him for killing me.

"Very complicated, Alexa." He shook his head.

"What happened after I drowned?" I finally wondered. Danny wasn't giving me the full details of what exactly happen, and Alek was the only other person there. Speaking of Danny, where was he? And where was everyone else in this hospital? It was so quiet.

"Well, Danny said he killed me, didn't he?"

"But, you're right here."

"I know I am." He added a smile.

"Did I die?" Alek started to take a few steps towards me.

"Yes, you did. But somehow, you're back. You're alive."

"What about you?" I asked him, he reached the bed and placed a cold hand on my cheek. "Please tell me the truth." I added.

"It wont make any difference, darling." He smiled, disagreeing with me. I felt invisible as his eyes were burrowing through me.

"How can you say that?"

"Because I know." He pulled his hand away.

"Why are you here?"

"I was so scared you weren't going to be with me for now on. Danny would have killed me for killing you. I knew if we both died, at least we'd be together, forever. I just came to visit you one last time. I was so scared you were going to make it, and you did. I'll miss you so much." he looked over his shoulder to the hallway of the hospital room. He bent down and kissed the top of my forehead. I closed my eyes when he did, savoring the moment.

"You killed me. You can't love me."

"The crazy things you do for love." He chuckled. "You know, I tried visiting you while you were dead. I couldn't get through to you though, you know, since you were in transition."

"You really loved me?" Alek hesitated before answering; he looked to the door nervously.

"It looks like it's time for me to go." He calmly started for the door.

"Where?" I asked him when he was halfway across the room. He stopped in his tracks and turned back to me.

"Take it from me, you'll never be safe with him. No matter how hard he tries." Alek gave me a halfhearted smile. "And by the way, yes. I did." He mouthed 'I love you' to me. His smile dropped and he turned on his heel, disappearing into the light of the empty hallway. And that was the last I'd ever see of Alek Westburn.

My eyes flicked open. I took a deep breath for air, just like how you would when you wake up from a nightmare. Nothing was off about the hospital room, but it seemed eerily similar to the one Alek had been standing it—could that really have been a dream? The room was bright, there were noises coming from the hallway, and nurses along with sickly patients were walking past my door. Danny was sitting in a chair tying on his phone. I sat up, my brain pounding against my temples and looked around skeptically. It had to be a dream.

"You okay?" Danny suspiciously asked, staring at me worryingly.

"Huh?" I blinked several times to dissipate the stinging feeling behind my eyes. "Oh, yeah. Just, um, bad dreams." I chomped down on my lip, fearing that Alek was once again infiltrating my dreams. And he was dead, too! He was still able to invade my head. Go figure. Danny was staring at me, concerned. "He's gone, right?" I quickly asked before he had the chance to open his mouth.

"Yeah…what, did you—"

"I want you to train me." I cut him off. "You know, when I'm better and not in this jail cell. I want you to train me."

"Train you." Danny repeated deadpan.

"Yeah, so I can, I don't know, protect myself better. Not that I want to be an MMA champion, I just want to know how to do things that you can."

"No." Danny disagreed.

"Yes." I disagreed, crossing my hands over my chest.

"You really want me to train you." Danny stated.

"Yes, Danny. Is that so hard to believe? I don't want another repeat of Alek, okay? I tried my best there. I ran, I snuck around, I tried stabbing him for Christ sake and he always was one step ahead of me. I want to learn how to fight. Now." I demanded. Danny's brows rose, his eyes gazing over me from head to toe, and then over to my IV bag and the needle in my hand.

"Okay not right at this second but you know what I mean." I huffed, blowing a piece of stray hair out of my face.

"Fine. I'll do it—" a smile spread across my face "but—" Danny cut off my short lived happiness. "We're starting off easy." Whatever, fine. He wants to baby me, let him go right ahead.

'Really? You're going to baby me"

"I'm—"

"Reporting for Alexa duty. Hm, right on time!" Jeremy looked at his watch as he busted into my hospital room. An old messenger bag hung from his right shoulder.

"Really? I think the doctors have that covered, Jer." I retorted, I wasn't a five year old that needed to be watched like a hawk. But I had to admit, I did miss the big bro like crazy.

"Oooh, someone's being extra sassy today." He laughed, digging into the messenger bag and throwing a pair of clothes onto the bed.

"What's this for?" I wondered, staring at the comfy looks sweats and shirt in front of me. God I missed my own clothes. Hospital gowns were so…unfashionable.

"For you to change into." Jeremy told me in a 'duh' tone.

"They're not gonna let me change into this." I disagreed.

"Well they told me I had to get you something to go home in, so that's where you're wrong, little sis."

"Wait, home? I'm going home?"

"Yeah." He answered.

"Seriously?"

"Did I not just say yes like three times? Go change before they give you more of that crazy stuff." A smile spread across my face but disappeared as Jeremy walked over to my IV bag, examining and poking it with his finger. Finally. I was getting out of here! It's been—actually, how long has it been?

"What day is it?" I wondered. I was actually scared to know.

"December twenty-ninth." Danny answered, pursing his lips. That happy feeling dissipated and my heart felt like it dropped into my stomach.

"The twenty-ninth?" The two nodded. "I missed Christmas?" Another nod. I nodded back, my eyes falling to the blanket and my hands began playing with each other. I missed my favorite holiday that I used to spend every year with my family. This year I left Jeremy and Danny alone on the holiday. I must have been dead that day.

"Come on Lex, time to go home." That got a little bit of happiness out of me.

* * *

My bed. My room. My house. My clothes. The light of day. They were all things I thought I'd never see again. It was a disadvantage to being dead. Being discharged from the hospital this morning was one of the happiest things that ever happened to me—besides waking up after I died a few days ago. But I wasn't to happy right now, I was actually pretty drugged. Or out of it. One of the worst feelings I've ever felt, besides being stabbed and physically abused, was the feeling of pain medication wearing off. Talk about feeling like you've been hit by a truck! Whatever the doctors gave me was making me feel drugged, loopy, and strange. I kept coming in and out of a deep sleep for hours now. Actually…I wasn't to sure how long it was going on. I had been having strange dreams, ones of me just walking in darkness or in the woods, or back in the house. I was in the same clothes I wore now; grey straight leg sweatpants and a soft maroon tank top. It was like I transported places from the comfort of my own bed. It felt so real, but at the same time it wasn't. They were dreams. I came back to consciousness with a light groan, and I turned over onto my side. My eyes slowly lifted, revealing my room illuminated with lamplight. The first thing I spotted was Danny, who was leaning against my dresser.

"Hey." My voice sounded hoarse. I silently cleared my throat as my eyes wandered to the digital alarm on my dresser. It was half past nine. I sat up staring at the red numbers with my brows furrowed.

"Morning…or should I say evening?" Danny smiled.

"How long was I out?"

"Let's see…since we got you in the car ten hours ago." Danny laughed. God I loved his laugh. It was like that little light in your darkest hour. Like hope. The medicine was definitely wearing off. I was feeling uncomfortable. But that uncomforting feeling was coming from something other than my head, my ribs, or my abdomen wound. It was coming from my heart. It felt like someone's heart had wrapped a hand around it and squeezed the life out of it. That hand belonged to Alek.

"What's up?" Danny advanced towards me. Why was he always so caring towards me? I was a terrible friend to him.

"Nothing," I sighed, "just a lot to take in." My heart felt tighter.

"Alek." I thought he'd say the name with such great despise his face would turn red, but he said his name calmly. Maybe on the inside he was fuming.

"He said he loved me. I believed it and it was all a game. I feel pathetic. Stupid. Idiotic. Use—" I buried my head in my hands, hiding from the disappointment and shame.

"Smart." Danny stopped me. I looked up to him. What? Did he know what the word smart meant? Apparently not. "He had on a hell of an act. You couldn't do anything but love him." He was right, I had to love Alek after all he did to me, at least how he tricked me. But…did I? I knew that I had really, really strong feelings for the guy, but did I love him? I'd never been in love before. I didn't know what the feeling felt like. I heard from friends back home that it was the most incredible feeling ever. It was overwhelming, which it was with Alek. They told me you'd get butterflies whenever his name crossed your mind, whenever you saw his face. I knew I felt like that with Alek, he made my head spin. But then there were things that were different from that I never felt with Alek. When you're in love, you feel miserable being away from that certain person, he makes you smile and gets you through the day, he doesn't make you feel anything less than safe and never upset or uneasy. You feel like everything is right in the world. I never felt that before…not until now.

"That's the thing…I don't think I did."

"What?"

"I thought I was, but now that I think of it, I wasn't. I just really liked him." I paused to take a breath. "I should have known the first night he tried to kiss me."

"Tried?" Danny repeated.

"The night you were spying on us." I laughed quietly. "He did kiss me, yes we shared a long kiss. But then, I stopped. I pulled away, freaked out and told him I had to leave. Sure I went back against my better judgement, but it didn't feel right originally. It just didn't."

"You never told me that." Danny was a few feet away from my bed. I stood up, in dire need to stretch my aching legs and give myself a rest from sitting for days after days.

"Yeah well, I didn't tell anyone. Don't feel bad. Whether or not I stopped it, continued it, or not, this would have happened." My back was to Danny now.

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." I could hear strain in his voice. It made my heart ache; I turned around to him, almost angry. Oh God, these pills. It had to be the pills doing this to me! They were making me crazy…or maybe that was just how I truly felt.

"No, it's not! I did this, Danny. Me. It's my fault that I was in the hospital. You and Elliot were next. It was just revenge, just as he said it. He said after he killed me, he was going to kill you, then Elliot. We were stupid, sneaking around like we weren't going to get caught! He's been watching us even before we met him! And I was just so dumb to let him that easily! And you warned me! I don't know how I couldn't see any of this coming!" I was yelling. All these emotions were bubbling up inside of me, ready to explode. Where was some sedation when you needed it? Nurse please! Oh wait…god what a crappy time to run off of painkillers.

"No you're not." Oh God, oh God, here comes the word vomit. I couldn't push it back down. I didn't even think I knew what I was saying.

"Yes Danny, I am. I've been so stupid and oblivious to everything that's been going on. Ever since I got here, too! Everything! I've been lying to myself this whole time, and I've been lying to you! When I was stuck there with Alek I realized how stupid I was for it. I've been so selfish because I love you. I've doubted and have been pushing it back the whole time!" I shouted and in one swift motion, I found myself in Danny's grasps with our lips tightly pressed against each other. There wasn't a word to describe the sensation that erupted through my body. It rushed through me like an electrical current. The kiss started out rough, because I made it that way. I wasn't fighting any more feelings, what was done was done. Time stood still as we moved our lips in sync. I had cupped my cold hands around Danny's face as we pressed our faces to each other. My hands found themselves entangling themselves in his black hair as Danny's tongue swiped across my lower lip. He tasted like mint; probably from his favorite spearmint gum he chewed so often. The kiss slowed down and was soft and sweet, it gave me every sense of safety in the world. I was finally okay. Breathing heavy and out of air, we pulled apart at the same time. Our eyes never left each other. The warmth of Danny's breath was brushing against my upper lip. I stared into his hardened blue eyes as he stared into my brown ones.

What did I just do?

Whatever it was…I loved it.

* * *

**FINALLY~**


End file.
